This means WAR!
by willielee
Summary: Lets just say Akari and Gill dont get off on the right foot...in fact they break out into a mini war. Who will win? AkariXGill with maybe a little AkariXChihaya
1. Meeting the Devil

**Okay!!!! Now this is a HM:TOT story with main character Akari meeting the mayor's son Gill. Lets just say they don't get off to a very good start…and eventually break out into an all out "war". (At least that's what Akari calls it) This is my first story so be gentle, but I would love any and all reviews!**

**P.S. this is just the set up; the good stuff is on the way!**

**This means WAR!**

**Meeting the Devil**

"Yes, I'm the new girl." Akari repeated for the _millionth _time.

It was as if she had a giant tomato head by the way these people ogled, pointed and whispered. The second she would smile, wave slightly, and mumble an innocent 'hey', the girls' faces would instantly twist up with their thoughts of, _another rival…._ The boys on the other hand, would check her up and down, practically sparkling with their fervent desire of making a good impression, while thinking, _fresh meat. _Now the adults! The adults were worse! If they had a son around marrying age they would sugar coat what they said with subtle hints like, "I can tell you're going to love my son..." Or, "Why don't you come over for dinner sometime…" But the mayor was in a category of his own.

She wasn't even listening anymore, to the mayor that is. She would nod. Add a few huhs, and oh yeahs, while he babbled on about who knows what.

"And then after that, you should [insert obvious explanation here]." He said grinning at her.

The door opened and in walked a blond boy with a bored expression and a book in hand.

"Oh, this is my son Gill!" the mayor exclaimed. "Gill, come meet this _nice_ young woman."

Said blond boy swiveled on his heel and exited the room the way he had entered.

"Don't feel bad…Gill just is that way…" the mayor said, patting her hand absentmindedly.

She didn't feel bad. In fact this was actually sort of refreshing the way he didn't succumb to the normal boy reaction.

"No biggie." She said, removing her hand.

"It's just, I know he seems all hard and cold now, but I'm sure once you get to know him he will soften up to you. After all, you _are_ a nice girl, aren't you Akari."

Did he just wink at her?

"You just have to be straight forward. Flirting is something alien to him…so it would be best if you became friends first and then proclaimed your love…"

"What…?"

He ignored her and said, "Or, better yet, make him fall head over heels for you! Heh-heh…"

She cocked her head to the side. Was he giving her advice on how to seduce his son!?

"Ok, then I think I'll be going now…" she said standing and quickly escaping the building before he opened his mouth again. Once the door was safety closed behind her she leaned up against it and sighed heavily. Poor Gill. His father would chase away any girls who actually did fall in love with him. Odds are, he would first scare away all candidates with that icy glare of his.

A girl with purple hair named Roomi walked by and greeted her warmly until Akari told her who she was. The short girl's friendly face suddenly turned hostile in the normal girl reaction way as she quickly said goodbye and continued on her way. Akari had the strangest feeling that she wouldn't make many girl friends…oh well.

The door she was leaning against suddenly swung open causing her to lose her balance and fall…hard. Her head bounced once on the hard floor and she winced as a headache exploded violently.

"You okay?" she heard a smooth male voice ask. She opened her eyes to see none other than the deep blue cynical eyes of Gill staring down at her.

A "Yes..."was all she managed to squeak out. To this he nodded and mumbled a "good" before shutting the door behind him, (which pushed her head into an uncomfortable angle) stepped over her sprawled body, and walked down the street. She watched him with her eyes narrowed menacingly, no longer feeling any pity toward him.

"Don't lean on doors." He advised smartly as he disappeared over the hillside.

_Well, duh…_

She growled as she pulled herself into a sitting position and placed one hand against her head gingerly. Unfriendly was one thing, Gill was a jerk.

Later that day she collapsed in a chair at the bar completely exhausted. She actually hadn't done any work but just looking at all the work that needed to be done on her little farm drained the energy from of her. A tall waiter with reddish blond hair set the drink she had ordered in front of her with a smile and said, "Tell me if you need anything."

She gave a smile back and said, "Thanks, I do need something, I need someone to talk to. Why don't you join me?"

He raised an eyebrow and politely pointed out the obvious that he was working.

"I can see that, and I can also see that nobody is here."

He looked around to see that, indeed, nobody was there, and even the owner had disappeared somewhere. So he shrugged his shoulders as if to say _why not?_ And sat down at her table.

"So, you are…?"

"Akari." She said taking a sip of the drink he had given her. "…I'm the new girl working on that farm." She answered his next question before he had the chance to ask it. "What's your name?"

"Chihaya. I work here at the bar."

"Yeah, I kind of guessed that."

He chuckled. He looked cute when he chuckled.

"So you said you needed someone to talk to? What about?"

"Gill." She proclaimed. "I need to vent on my hatred for Gill. And I only just met him this morning!"

He laughed again. "That's not surprising. He does have that effect on people."

"No kidding. I felt bad for him at first, with such a crazy father as the mayor, I probably would be a little antisocial too. But he has no heart!"

"He does, it's just buried."

"Why?"

"Who knows…"

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Maybe you should give him another try…" Chihaya offered finally. "It could have been just a bad first impression."

"He stepped over me like I was lower than dirt…_literally_!"

He frowned thoughtfully as the little chime over the door rang, and lo and behold Gill stood there like a dark cloud.

"Speak of the devil…" Chihaya whispered to the frowning girl next to him, his violet eyes widening. He then stood up to greet the sour puss. "Hey Gill, haven't seen you here in a long time… What do you want?"

Gill extended one pale finger toward Akari who was in mid sip.

"Her."

**Please let me know how good or how horrible it is! And I promise it will get more interesting so don't give up one me~ ******


	2. Let the battle begin!

**Woooooot! Part 2!! I hope you like it~ please review!!! (wow, that rhymed…)**

**To ****chipmunkluvr96****: Heehee! Thanks for your review it made me laugh! Psst…I actually haven't played the game… Blasphemy I know! I just fell in love with the characters! So I don't know when Chase/Chihaya comes into play…sorry. This lack of game playing would also explain why I may change a character's personality from what it is in the game. I'm so sorry if that offends anyone! But anyways, thanks a lot and I hope you keep reading~**

**To ****SheNeverWasGoodEnoughForLove:**** Thanks! I love Gill too! He's the cutest!! **

**This means WAR!**

**Let the battle begin!!!**

Chihaya and Akari's mouths hung open in shock. She was mildly aware of the little bit of liquid that had been in her mouth now was dribbling down her cheek.

"Wait, what!?" she peeped.

"I need to talk with you." Gill explained giving her a disgusted look.

"Ohhh…" the other two said simultaneously.

"Whatever," he growled. "Come with me outside for a moment."

She and Chihaya exchanged looks.

"I suppose." she hissed, standing up and pushing past him into the twilight.

Gill glared at Chihaya before following her outside. Chihiya just smiled. _Maybe they will become friends! _he thought hopefully.

Once the door was shut behind him, Gill walked out into the clearing looking for Akari.

"What do you want?"

He spun around to see her leaning up against the bar wall with an irritated expression on her face.

He gave an annoyed sigh, "My father sent me to give you this." he said, handing her a folded piece of paper. "Apparently you left before he had the chance to give it to you."

_Yeah, because he was creeping me out…_

"I don't get why he didn't just find you himself. Instead he waited around all day for me to return home before sending me on this wild goose chase. I swear sometimes that man is just so…." and then he sighed again. "Anyway, it's a map of Waffle Town and the surrounding areas," he said in answer to her unvoiced question.

"Oh" she mumbled, unfolding it and examining the drawings on it. There was a star where her farm was, with a little drawing of a girl who was smiling and waving that vaguely resembled her. There were stores and farms also depicted on the map along with where the best fishing spots were. _How convenient…_ But what really caught her attention was the big blue arrow that pointed to the mayor's house. Next to it was a chibi version of a frowning Gill holding a pink heart with a speech bubble that said "Come and visit, Akari!"

_Oh please…_

She looked up at the real frowning Gill with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"You haven't see this have you?" she said quietly.

"No, I think I would know my way around town without it." he replied smugly.

She decided to ignore that curt remark.

"Is this all you came for?" she asked slipping the map into her pocket.

"Yes, why?" he said tilting his head up slightly.

"Its just I thought you might apologize… or something…."

"Why should I apologize to you?"

"When I fell--when you opened the door--"

"That was your own fault. I wont apologize for your stupidity."

_Are you kidding me…?_

"But I was hurt, you could have--"

"You told me that you were okay, it is not my responsibility to read your mind and know when you are lying."

Her patience was getting a little short.

"You could have at least helped me up!"

"I was in a hurry, as you obviously noticed, you were in my way."

She stared at him in disbelief trying to take deep breaths to calm herself. But when he turned his back on her she snapped.

"Look here, you rotten little pretty boy!! I don't care who you are or who you think you are, you cant treat people that way!!"

He turned around slowly feeling her furry hit him like heat from a flame. She stood in her power stance, legs apart, fists clenched, teeth bared, and was nearly frothing with anger.

"Why shouldn't I?" He taunted with a little raise in the pitch of his voice.

"Well, for one thing, you probably would have some friends."

"Friends are a waste of time, people are a waste of time, you are a waste of time, and if you would please stop wasting my time I will go finish my work."

He said all this with an emotionless expression on his pale face. His dark blue eyes stared through her vacantly. The slight breeze of the wind ruffling his white blond hair that curled around his face. It really was a pity, he was beautiful….but he was _evil! _And she had had it….

"Oh, you….your lucky I'm not a man…" she hissed with venom on her lips.

"Your wrong. If you were a man your face would _actually _suite you and maybe you could _actually_ be successful on that farm--"

He lay sprawled in the dirt now. His fancy clothes rumpled and filthy. His pulled himself into a sitting position wincing and holding his stomach where she had punched him. His big blue eyes blinked up at her with genuine shock as he gasped for air.

_Too bad I didn't hit him in the face. Then I would have the satisfaction of seeing him everyday wearing a black eye. But I knocked the wind out of him, and that feels good._

Akari stood over him, a wicked smile on her face, as Chihaya ran from the bar and grabbed her by the shoulders. He had seen everything, and now had to restrain his grin at seeing the fallen prince struggle to pull himself to his feet.

Gill's blue eyes were locked with Akari's brown ones in a silent challenge. His cheeks suddenly flushed red with embarrassment and he turned and ran as fast as he could down the road straining to breath.

"Yay, Akari the conqueror!" Chihaya cheered, pumped the air with his fist, and released his previous pent up smile. "So how do you feel, Akari?" he said impersonating a t.v. newscaster with his 2 pencil as a mic. "You've defeated the demon ogre man with a single hit! Amazing, simply amazing! What are you gunna do next!? Fight some dragons!? Save some damsels--er--_men _in distress!? Find Atlantis!?"

She suddenly had become mute, he spun around and saw the blank expression on her face.

"Now, you don't feel bad do you?"

"Did you see that look on his face?"

"Well, yeah! He was so scared he was gunna wet his pants! That's the cherry on the cake right there!"

"He was afraid…I feel like I have sunk to his level…"

"Now, now, you did nothing like that!" he said putting his arm warmly on her shoulder. "He had it coming. Maybe it will humble him a little bit to be taken down by a girl. Even just a little bit would help…" he held his chin thoughtfully. "You know what? I think you have actually done him some good. Yeah, that punch in the gut was the friendliest act ever bestowed upon him!"

She had to laugh at that. "He did deserve it."

"Yep, for sure."

"And I did it."

"Yep, you did."

"He called me ugly…or manly I guess…" she said remembering.

"Well, your not. You are neither of them. Well, maybe you can slug kind of manly, but you look like a woman, no mistake. Pretty too…uh…" he rubbed his head uncomfortably with a little blush on his cheek.

"Thanks…" she mumbled. "He doesn't think I'm going to do well on the farm too." And for some reason that is what hurt the most. He could have called her anything he wanted, but those were the words that stung. Those were the words that fueled her anger into her fist.

"Forget about him." Chihaya said comfortingly. "All he can do is talk. And all you can do is prove him wrong. Make him eat his words!"

"That's right!" she exclaimed. "I'll make that farm thrive! I'll make it the best in Waffle Town!"

"That's the spirit!"

"And then he will see how badly he underestimated me!"

"No doubt!"

"And of course we are going to torture him along the way…"

"What have you got planned?" He said with an evil grin.

"Well, tomorrow after work, lets--"

They both turned toward the bar as a muffled voice called out for Chihaya.

"Well, looks like this is my cue…"

She frowned slightly. "Oh, shoot. Well, meet me here when you get off work tomorrow and we'll go a-ogre huntin!"

"Sounds like a plan."

He offered her his hand with a cute crooked smile on his lips, and she gladly took it.

"Nice to meet you, Akari."

"Nice to meet you too, Chihaya."

**More, more, more to come!!!! Again, please review, I really could use the help! **

**P.S. Check my page for a poll on who you prefer, AkariXGill or AkariXChihaya. I thought I knew when I began the story, but I'm not so sure anymore… some advise would be very helpful!**


	3. Initiating the First Attack!

_**Whahahah! Part 3 Begins!!! (I had lots of fun writing this chapter, as you probably can tell) It does start off a little slow but it gets good near the end, (at least I hope so…) Anyways, please review!! (please, please, please)**_

_**This means WAR!**_

_**Initiating the First Attack**_

_Akari woke from a pleasant dream to the annoying chirps of her alarm clock. She swung her hand about wildly searching for the offensive device to no avail. She sighed sleepily and opened her eyes slowly. Why was she on the floor…? She pulled herself haphazardly to her feet using her bedside table for support and slapped her alarm clock causing it choke mid chirp. She yawned and stretched from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes, which unfortunately created a muscle spasm in her foot that made her double over in pain. She rubbed her foot desperately biting back screams. _

_Once the pain had disappeared she stood again and examined herself in the mirror. Boy was she glad she had chopped her hair off before coming here. Last week it had come to her mid back and always seemed to get in the way… She rather liked her new spunky cropped haircut that made her round face look narrower and her brown eyes look bigger. But even with this new hair style she still looked painfully plain, ordinary, and uninteresting. Its probably a good thing that she came to a small town, the people here couldn't help but notice her. _

_She shrugged at her reflection, giving up on it. She quickly searched for a pair of shorts and a green top before tying a red bandana around her head that made her look slightly boyish. She remembered what Gill said about her being manly looking and quickly took the bandana off. She frowned in the mirror at herself for a second and decided she didn't give a crap about what Gill thought and so she slid it back over her head. She then buckled her side pouch on her hip and slipped her feet into her tall tan hiking boots. Now she was ready to begin._

_The ground outside was covered in puddles from a late night shower and the sun peeked over the hillside making the dew on the trees sparkle._

_What a beautiful day……for an attack!_

She laughed to herself with an evil grin. Then she scanned her farm for what needed to be done. Well, everything needed to be done…but she decided to start with clearing the field, which was the obvious choice.

Pulling weeds was harder than she had expected, the stubborn brutes kept refusing to come out of the ground! She vaguely remembered the mayor telling her something about how to make pulling weeds easier….what was it…? Oh a sickle! She scrambled over and grabbed it, experimented on how to swing it before she started slicing and dicing. What felt like an eternity later she looked up from her work to see she had finished the weeding and now needed to chop and smash the remaining debris. She did so but decided to not clear the entire field.

Now she needed some seeds to plant….

She searched in her hip pouch for the strawberry seeds she had been given yesterday and whipped them out with a "woo-cha!" and happily planted them in the soft soil. She sprinkled a little water on them from her watering can then stepped back, hands on hips, admiring her work. It looked…better…but she still had a long way to go if she was going to make this farm thrive.

She gathered her tools, placing them back where they belonged, and looked at her clock.

_...WOW! I'm early!_

Not having anything better to do, she decided to go to the bar.

She meandered down the streets joyfully humming and waving to every staring boy, frowning girl, and space cadet adult. She even waved to the mayor who waved back a little too vigorously and pointed behind him dramatically at his son. She glared at Gill.

"Oh, just you wait…" she said under her breath as she forced a smile and waved to him. He was undeniably shocked at her courtesy and instantly became hostile by "accidentally" crushing her foot as she walked past. She bent to pick up a pebble off the ground and chucked it at him, hitting him square in the back, then hid behind a tree. He spun around with a snarl searching for her for a moment before he continued on his way in a huff.

She chuckled as she skipped down the road.

The little bell on the door tinkled overhead as she entered. Chihaya was on the other side of the room handing a piece of chocolate cake to a short girl with blondish hair. She was shamelessly flirting with him, and she frowned a little when he turned to the door and waved to Akari.

"Hey, your early, I wont be off for a bit. Go ahead and sit down."

This made the blond girl spit flames.

"Alright" Akari replied, plopping herself in a chair. A moment later he came over and placed a glass of milk and a piece of chocolate cake in front of her that was just like the other girls'.

"It's on the house." he said with a smile.

"Wow, thanks!" she exclaimed, practically feeling the hole the other girl was burning through her head.

"No problem."

The other girl's voice came out high and shrill as she said, "Come here, Chi-chi, I need a refill." She twirled an empty glass in the air that a second ago was full. He obliged with a roll of his eyes to Akari.

_Chi-chi?_

"Have you met Akari, Mai?" he asked the blond girl.

"Akari, huh? You must be the new farm girl…" Mai said.

Akari nodded with her fork sticking out of her mouth.

"…You must get dirty…"

_Dirty?_

Akari looked down at herself. She had dirt under her finger nails and all over her shirt and shorts. She shrugged as if to say _oh well_, but really she wanted to through that frilly pink girl in a mud puddle.

Chihaya mumbled something and tried to escape into the kitchen but was caught as Mai grabbed the strings of his apron.

"Oh, Chi-chi, why don't you stay and talk with me?"

Akari gagged.

"Sorry, Mai, I have to work still." He said leaning away from her as she tried to curl her arms around his waist.

"Oh, after work then? Come on we can go for a walk or whatever you want to do…"

He smiled nervously, blushed, and said, "Actually, I kind of have a date with Akari after work…"

Akari had been drinking her milk absentmindedly and had gulped it down too fast when he said those words. She now sputtered and coughed, unable to regain her breath.

"Oh really?" Mai hissed. "Then I'll be leaving. I'd hate to stop you from having some _alone_ time!" She stood quickly and paid for her food before stomping out the door.

"Thanks! Come again!" Chihaya waved clueless as the door slammed. "Was she upset about something…?" He asked Akari as he sat down at her table.

"Well, duh!" She barked, then seeing his face fall she softened her voice. "She likes you, _Chi-chi_!"

"Oh…is that why she gave me that silly nickname…?"

"Yup!"

"Oh…I suppose I shouldn't have told her that we were going on a date then, huh…"

"Yup! And its not a date."

"Its not?"

"Nope, it is a top secret mission!"

"Ogre hunting is top secret?"

"Of course it is!" She exclaimed throwing her arms in the air. "If we told everybody we were ogre hunting Gill, then everyone would want to come!"

He nodded his head. _This makes sense…_

"Its just us," she continued excitedly, "we are partners in crime! Like Bonnie and Clyde! And Jack and Jill who went up that darn hill!"

"Like Romeo and Juliet!?" He said jokingly.

"…not so much that one…" She said smiling slightly. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to die young…"

He laughed.

"So what's the plan!?" He said getting all excited like a puppy.

_Oh no! I forgot to think of something!!!!!!! Hurry, hurry! Whip up a good idea!_

"Well…." she began while desperately raking her brain. _Come on! Come on!_

And then she had it.

It was as if the Gods had placed the idea in her head and set it on a silver pedestal. It was beautiful. Perfect. Incredibly the greatest scheme she had ever come up with, and the quickest too. The pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly!

Her face lit up when the idea had dawned on her, simply killing poor Chihaya.

"Tell me, tell me, what is it!?" he begged.

"Oh-ho…it's _good_."

---

Gill left Town Hall late. The sun had set and he had worked without break all day. His stomach now growled reminding him that food was necessary for human beings, so he decided to stop by at the restaurant on his way home for a quick bite.

_I hope they have Tomato Omelets…._ he thought, with a dreamy look on his face.

And then all of a sudden he stopped as another thought floated into his mind.

_SHE might be there…_

He spun on his heel and decided to go straight home instead.

Gill walked robotically down the streets he knew so well, his mind still on his work, not paying attention to anything or anybody. That would explain why, when suddenly strange things started to happen, Gill was completely oblivious to it.

The dark shadows of the trees blended in with the dark shadows of the night. A gust of wind howled ominously and tugged at his clothes. He subconsciously hugged the books he was carrying tighter to his chest. All he could hear was the crunch of his loafers on the graveled road. But wait….there were too many crunches for just his two feet… He stopped and the sound continued for a second before it stopped as well.

_I'm being followed!!_

He continued, walking a bit quicker this time, but kept stopping to prove that he wasn't just scaring himself. And every time he stopped he heard the extra footsteps.

After a while he got annoyed by it and so he turned around and yelled into the night, "Is there somebody there!? If there is, you better stop messing around with me or I'll have your head!"

No response.

He sighed and turned around, walking even quicker this time.

Now there were rustles in the bushes!

He spun around to see a flash of white disappear into the trees.

"Ha! I saw you! You might as well give up now, I know who you are!" he lied.

Again, no response.

He huffed and cursed under his breath, but was glad when he saw his house in the distance.

"_Giiiiiiillllllll…." _A low disembodied voice called.

Gill froze.

"_Giiiiiilllll……..Giiiiiiilllllllllllll!" _

He turned around slowly, chills tickling down his spine, to see a tall white figure fluttering above the ground about twenty feet away.

"W-what!?" he squeaked.

"_Giiiiiillll…..I am the Harvest Spirit…."_

"H-harvest Spirit!? I-I-I didn't know there was one!"

"_There is, and I am HE….Giiiiiilllll, you have displeased me and my brothers…"_

"I-I'm sorry?" he gasped out.

"_It's toooooooo late for you to apologizzzzzzzzzzzzze…"_

"O-Ok, then what do I have to do?"

"_You have to…. _(long pause) …_diiiiiiiieeeeee….."_

Needless to say, Gill high tailed it out of there with the Harvest Spirit calling after him a ghostly, "_Yoooouuu caaaaan't hiiiiiiiideeeee."_

He ran faster than he ever thought he could, nearly flying down the road; dead certain that the Harvest Spirit was right behind him.

When suddenly a glowing goblin leapt out of the bushes with a hungry wicked gin curling its lips. Its eyes burned with fire and it laughed a rough throaty laugh.

"_Oh, what a pretty little boy!" _It growled. "_Good enough to eat I bet!" _

He shrieked as it lunged at him, missing him by a hair. And then he ran for dear life.

"_We'll get you!" _hissed the goblin, _"It's only a matter of time…"_

He ran even faster, (if that was possible), his heart beating wildly, sweat pouring down his face, fear making him stumble and shake. He had never been so scared in his life! The beasts behind him were chuckling and snorting in fits, as if….as if…

_Wait…_

He turned around.

---

Chihaya and Akari were dying with laughter.

Chihaya ripped the sheet off his head and used it to wipe the tears from his pouring eyes while Akari switched her flashlight off and held her aching sides. Her own tears washing away the mud she has caked on her face.

"Tha-that was bet-better than I imagined!" she exclaimed through fits of laughter.

"Di-did you see his face!?!?!?" Chihaya bellowed.

"HA-HA! How could I not!? Di-did you hear his scream!?"

"The whole world heard his scream!!!"

They leaned on each other laughing hysterically. Whenever one would try to regain composure the other would make them laugh again.

"Oh my-eh-eh-HAHAHA-oh my- TEHEHEH!!!"

"What's so funny?" A cold voice asked.

"Geh!?" they said simultaneously. The laughter suddenly choked in their throats, turning to fear as they stared up at……..

THE OGRE!!!!!

**I realize Chihaya and Akari act kind of childish in this chapter….but everyone does sometimes! Lest just say they are crazy teenagers looking for kicks, and not in their twenties….haha! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! Remember to Review and to vote on the poll on my page! THANKS!!**


	4. Invading Enemy Territory

**Tada! Part 4~Enjoy and Review please!**

**P.S. Thanks for all your wonderful comments! I'm so glad you all have liked it so far and I hope this makes you like it even more! **

**P.S.S. I don't own these characters. (I have forgotten to say that up until this point.)**

**This means WAR!**

**Invading Enemy Territory **

_I think I'm going to puke…_Akari thought, covering her mouth to hold back the nausea. With her other had she grabbed Chihaya's arm in a death grip, as she stared fearfully up at Gill.

He was actually smiling…or smirking….or maybe even sneering, down at his prey. Akari and Chihaya being said prey. His dark eyes harpooned them to their spot.

"Having fun?" he cooed, (yeah, he cooed.) His voice was soft and smooth, absolutely terrifying.

"L-look, Gill…" Chihaya began, "It was just a joke…"

"Well, of course it was!" Gill exclaimed taking them both off guard. "A joke! A funny, _funny _joke…" He shook his head laughing hysterically while the other two shrunk back.

_He's lost it! _

"Oh…." He said rubbing away fake tears from his eyes. "What? Is it not funny anymore?"

They just stared.

"Well, why not!? I mean you really had me going… I was actually scared!" he ran his fingers through his wind blow hair, and somehow this intimidated them. Then he frowned.

"What's wrong? Why don't you laugh?"

A single large tear slid down Chihaya's cheek from lack of blinking in the last five minutes of Gill lurking over them. And Akari leaned further into his side as the ogre stood to his full height with his lips curling.

"LAUGH!" he bellowed at them, startling Chihaya into coughing out bits of forced laughter that remarkably resembled a dying car engine.

"You know what I going to do, right?" Gill growled, making Chihaya's strange laughter slip into a sigh.

"What…?" Akari asked cautiously.

"I'm going to play your game." He stated with a lift of his chin. "You both better watch your backs."

And with that said he turned smartly on his heel, calling over his shoulder in a mocking tone, "Akari, wash your face. You look like a goblin." And then he disappeared into the darkness.

She rubbed her cheek absentmindedly causing pieces of encrusted mud to flake off while Chihaya suddenly realized his arms were wrapped around her. He quickly released her, his cheeks turning pink. She was oblivious to this, and just stood there with a dazed expression on her face as the same thought kept parading through her mind.

_What was Gill going to do!?_

"Ya know…" she mumbled, "That wasn't supposed to happen….yeah…that wasn't a part of the plan…"

"I figured that…" he replied quietly.

Akari woke up late.

This was understandable, considering she was terrified the entire night of whatever Gill was plotting to do. Would he do something to her house while she was asleep? Or to her!? Needless to say, she struggled to stay awake, but sleep soon overtook her.

Now it was noon, (she had slapped the snooze button on her alarm clock numerous times) and she still sat in bed trying to open her eyes.

_Get up…..go to work….._

Eventually she pulled herself up, managed to get dressed, and stumbled into the sunlight. She gawked at a blurry figure in front of her until it slowly came into focus, then nearly leapt out of her skin.

"Gah!" she gasped involuntarily, as her eyes met the blond boy's.

It was Gill.

_Why does he always do this!? He appears whenever you least expect him!_

"Did you just wake up!?" he spat at her.

"N-no…." she lied meekly.

He rolled his eyes. "You look like it! Did you even brush your hair!?"

She ran her fingers through her tangled mop.

_No…._

"Or your teeth!?" he gasped taking a step back.

She snapped her mouth shut and put her hands on her hips.

"What did you come here for!?" she barked.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise then smirked. "My dad wants you to come over to our house for dinner tonight."

"W-what!?"

"Yeah, unbelievable, I know."

She rolled her eyes. "Why!?"

He looked at her like she was clueless, "Well, we obviously don't get along--"

"No, I mean why am I invited to dinner?"

"How should I know!?" he huffed, folding his arms.

She sighed, expecting that a matchmaking mayor had an evil plan.

"Well, dinner is a six. Don't be late." Gill said as he turned around.

"I'm _not _going."

He looked back at her over his shoulder smirking again.

"Good."

_Good looks are spoiled on him, _she thought as he left, while miming to shoot invisible arrows at his head until he was out of sight.

_Okay! Now time to work!_

There actually wasn't much to do…in fact watering the field was the only thing she could do considering she was too poor to buy anything but food. So she did that single chore. Trying to make it last longer than she knew it would, but too soon found herself finished and wondering at what to do next.

_How about going adventuring!? _She thought excitedly.

So she ran inside her house to gather some adventuring tools and a snack. She unhappily had to forget about the snack part though, seeing as her fridge was utterly and completely empty. Maybe she should have accepted that offer of dinner….wait, no! She would never be that desperate!

So with the help of her trusty, yet ridiculous, map; she journeyed on the outskirt of the town trying to get a bearing on her surroundings. She hadn't walked long before she heard the unmistakable thwack of chopping wood. Turning into a clearing of the forest, she spotted a bandana clad, blue haired young man, swinging an ax enthusiastically. She watched him for a moment as he began to name his swings.

"I'll call this the SUPER AMAZING AWESOME UNBELIEVABLE CHOP OF DEATH!!!!!!!" he bellowed, raising the ax above his head dramatically and whipping it down, missing the log he was trying to cut. "Well…maybe not that one…"

Akari couldn't help busting a gut.

The boy, suddenly realizing he wasn't alone, turned around and smiled sheepishly.

"That normally doesn't happen…" he tried to explain to the girl who was simply shaking with laughter. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that funny." he said starting to smile himself.

"Sorry!" she coughed out.

"Hey…" he said cocking his head to the side, "I don't think I know you…"

"Oh, I'm Akari." She said, "I'm the new farm girl."

"Ahhhh…" he said tipping his head even more.

She felt her spine tickle as he had the normal boy reaction.

"I'm Luke! It's always a pleasure to meet someone new!" he exclaimed with a huge grin.

Not knowing quite what to say to that, she just grinned back at him. And then it became silent. Both of them just grinning at each other. Akari decided she had had enough of that once her cheeks started hurting, and so offered a wave to Luke before continuing on her way.

"Wait!" he called. "Do you want someone to walk with? The woods can be a dangerous place!"

"Sure…" she said a little uncertainly.

"Great!" he exclaimed, tossing his ax off to the side, "I'll show you all the excellent places on the island!"

Little did she know that these "excellent places" consisted of only good areas to chop wood. And after what felt to be the millionth time of Luke explaining why the trees here were so good, she offered to take him over to the bar for a drink just to shut him up.

Of course he took this the wrong way and thought, _Oh man, she's so digging me!_

The second they walked through the door, Akari was caught in a crushing hug from Chihaya. Luke raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, Chihaya, that's a little out of character…"

Chihaya ruffled Akari's already messy hair and exclaimed, "Why? Akari's my best pal, best friend, and partner in crime!"

She elbowed him in the gut at that last statement and hurriedly tried to talk away the shocked expression on Luke's face.

"He didn't mean that literally, we just—"

"Are you the people who keep breaking into my house and stealing my underwear!?"

She stared at him, a half smile on her lips, waiting for him to crack and admit he was joking.

But he didn't.

"You're serious?" she asked dully.

"Yeah!" he said with a fed up expression on his face. "Why doesn't anybody believe me!? My underwear keeps getting stolen and then put in weird places! I got to figure out who's behind this treachery!"

"You sure it's not just you misplacing them?" Chihaya asked casually while trying not to laugh.

"I don't think I would put my underwear up a tree or in the freezer." He said matter-of-factly, with a tilt of his head.

"Right…." Akari mumbled, and then said, "What's the special today, Chihaya?"

And with that the subject was dropped.

Akari and Luke sat at a table chatting happily, while Chihaya leaned up against the counter near them. They were laughing at something stupid Luke said that apparently he didn't find very funny. So he decided to shield his embarrassment by leaping to his feet, wrestling Chihaya into a head lock, and rubbing his fist against the tall boy's peach colored hair.

This made Akari laugh harder as Chihaya struggled to get out of the hold. Once he finally broke free he punched Luke playfully and tried to fix his wild locks that stuck up in every which way.

This was the moment that they all turned to the door and saw the mayor.

_How long has he been there…._ Akari thought with a frown, and realized this must be where Gill gets his ability to appear and disappear whenever he was not wanted.

The mayor was speechless for a moment, staring at the trio, but then bounded over to Akari's side and exclaimed, "Ah, Akari! Gill told me I would find you here!"

She stared at him blankly.

"He also said that you refused our dinner invitation!"

She nodded.

"Oh, but why!? How could you refuse? Especially since my darling Gill came to your house and everything!"

_Gill….darling…? Um…no._

"I'm busy." She lied.

"Oh, come now," he said glancing at the other two who were watching him intensely. "These two young men would be willing to give you up for a few hours I'm sure!"

Luke shook his head dramatically mouthing a "No!"

Chihaya just smiled maliciously.

"See they are fine with it!" And with that, the mayor snatched Akari's wrist and dragged her kicking and screaming out of her seat and out the door. Chihaya and Luke followed them outside, gawking as she reached back to them with her free hand begging for help. The tall boy just waved while the shorter one with the blue hair put his hands on his hips and frowned.

_This is the last time I'm going to see them…_Akari thought, using all her strength to not yell at Chihaya to wipe that stupid grin off his face. _I'm not going to survive this night…_

The mayor swung the door of his house open and deposited his prize on the floor. The prize in question being Akari.

She just lay there staring up at the ceiling, waiting for the inevitable.

"Come sit at the table Akari. The food is almost ready." The mayor said as he disappeared into another room.

She stood slowly, taking in her surroundings cautiously. Bookcases lined the room filled entirely with books. There were windows that looked like a promising exit for escape, but it seemed the mayor had anticipated this and had locked them. That disappointed her. And then of course there was a table…but there was something wrong with that table. Sure, it was an ordinary table, it had four sides, four legs, and three table mats for the three people who would be using it, but it looked…odd. Then she spotted it. There were only three chairs, and this normally wouldn't have alarmed her, except for the fact that two of the chairs were frightfully close to one another on one side, while the third was across from the two all alone. She had a hunch that she was meant to sit in one of those two chairs, and the thought of who would sit next to her made her skip over to the loner chair.

"That's mine." The mayor said, as he peaked his head around the corner, making her jump. "I thought you _young_ people would want to sit together"

_Oh, no…_ She thought instantly becoming queasy.

The mayor walked over to her and put his thick chubby hand on her arm.

"When Gill told me he wanted to invite you to dinner I was so shocked!"

"Wait, what!?" she blurted.

"I never thought he would be bold enough to ask a girl…well… anywhere!" he said ignoring her outburst. "And of all the girls in town he asked you!" He leaned into her as if he were telling her a secret and whispered, "You know, I kind of had the feeling you too weren't getting along very well…but apparently I was mistaken!" he laughed to himself, leaving her alone in the room again.

_Oh-no! _Akari thought as she started to become hysterical. _It was a trap! It was a trap this whole time!_ She spun around searching for the exit. _I have to get out of here! I have to-- I have to—get—WHAT IS HE PLANNING!? _

Someone watching her would have noted the crazed look in her eye, the frantic way she darted from one end of the room to the other, and the way she kept muttering to herself about a trap.

Someone _was_ watching her.

This someone was Gill. (Of course.)

He snuck up behind her, put his cold pale hand on her shoulder, and whispered a simple, "What's wrong, Akari?"

She jerked around unable to hide her startled expression as she locked eyes with him.

"You invited me!?" she spat.

"Why, yes. Did I not tell you that before?" he said in a polite, yet mocking voice. "I thought it was very considerate of me. Don't you agree…?"

She stared at him, shrugging off his hand that was still on her shoulder.

"I think this smells fishy." She said sticking out her lower lip.

"Well, that's because we are having Trout."

This took her a little off guard, and a confused expression fell upon her face. He was lost for a second, but only a second, as he stared down into her dark brown eyes.

_What…what…._he thought, and then shook his head.

"I don't mean the food!" she said with a frown. "I mean this makes you look suspicious!"

He turned away from her and looked over his shoulder, giving her his most innocent expression. "Me? Suspicious? Now, now you must be joking…"

She frowned but couldn't say anymore because his father had come into the room displaying a beautiful cooked Trout.

"Sit, sit!" he declared, indicating the two seats across from him as he took his own.

They sat.

Gill smiled at how the girl next to him squirmed uncontrollably while he sat perfectly still.

They served themselves and all started munching on the fish with little conversation in between bites.

The mayor, of course, couldn't just leave his dinner guest alone, and so he began to babble on about who knows what while the other two just stared at their plates. But once the little man started inquiring about Akari's love interests Gill became fed up of listening to his father try to sell him off like a new car.

"—Now, my Gill is so smart and funny,… sometimes….And it appears as if you two have made a connection, or you wouldn't be sitting here right in front of me—"

"Father." Gill said cutting in. "How was work today?"

This threw the mayor off guard. Gill never asked him things like that. "I-It was alright…" he began before bubbling into a too detailed explanation of what he did every second of that day ending with pulling Akari from the bar.

Gill saw, out of the corner of his eye, her glance up at him with almost a thankful expression on her face. He bit his lip trying to hide the involuntary smile that was threatening to appear.

_Yes…your thankful now, but just wait…_

They finally finished the meal, after what felt like hours of Akari being roasted on a stove.

She stood, mumbling something about something or another in an excuse to leave as soon as possible.

The mayor jumped to his feet begging her to sit down as he ran to the kitchen.

"You haven't had desert yet!" he called to her.

"I couldn't possibly eat more!" she hollered back, making her way to the door.

Gill just sat there, smirked, and said a sarcastic, "Come back soon."

She rolled her eyes and opened the door.

Water suddenly fell from the sky, drenching her from head to toe. Her hair hung in drippy tendrils as she rubbed the water from her eyes trying to figure out what just happened. She sighed, tugging at her clothes that now clung to her body uncomfortably, and looked up to see a bucket had been tricked out to pour water on whoever opened the outer door.

She spun on her heel and stomped back into the house, her shoes squeaking and her socks sloshing loudly inside them. She came to stand over Gill, letting her hair drip on him until he looked up at her in mock surprise.

"When I said 'come back soon' I hadn't expected you to be back _this _soon." He looked her up and down, "Gee, is it raining outside!?"

"I just have one question for you…" she seethed.

He smirked, "What?"

"Is this what you call playing our game?"

He tilted his chin, but didn't answer.

"If it is, then….you need to get us back properly! This is just pathetic!" And then she started laughing.

Gill's face fell from smug, to disappointment, to anger as he stood looming over her.

"I-I mean, _come on_!" she gasped between bits of laughter. "You seriously couldn't come up with anything better than pouring a bucket of water on my head!? I thought you were smart!" She punched him playfully in the chest, his lips curled.

"I mean, I was so scared! I really thought whatever you were going to do would be an excellent prank! But _nooooooo_!" she wiped the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.

"It was so lame! So anticlimactic!"

He had had enough of her laughing at him.

"Get out, Akari. Your dipping on the carpet." He snarled at her.

But this just made her laugh more.

"G-Good one! Pfft! Dripping on the carpet! Oh please! You just want me to leave so you can have some dignity back!"

Oh, then he snapped.

He grabbed her head with both of his hand, silencing her immediately, and stared into her eyes.

"Get out—"

"Oh you two aren't going to kiss are you!?" said the mayor with pie in one hand and a silly grin on his face. "If you are, I can just leave now." He backed away into the kitchen again.

Gill turned back to Akari with a huff. Her cheeks were pink and he slowly realized that his were too and that he still held her face in his hands. He quickly walked away from her running his hands through his hair and sighed.

Looking back up at her he barked, "Get out, Akari!"

She was only too happy to oblige.

She ran out the door and down the street straight to the bar, without going home to change out of her sopping clothes, and bumped into a ticked off Chihaya who had been left alone all night with an annoying boy named Luke.

"Why are you all wet!?" he exclaimed.

**So yeah…End of scene!**

**I hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what I could do to make it better!**


	5. Stealth Attack

_**TADA! PART 5!**_

_**EM…yeah, this chapter is mostly about Chihaya. Why, you ask? Because Chihaya is close to my heart. Anyways…please review!!!!**_

_**(I don't own these characters.)**_

_**This means War!**_

_**Stealth Attack**_

_Chihaya ran his fingers through his short peach colored hair trying vainly to calm the insistent cowlicks that sprung in every direction. One in particular, was so bent on flying into his face that he had to trap it down with three hair pins. Three! After giving up on his hair he slipped into his white shirt, buttoned it up, and rolled the sleeves to his elbows. He straightened and re-straightened his shirt, flattening all the creases and fixing his collar. Now all he had to do was slid his feet into his bright blue sandals and he was good to go._

_But go where…?_

_He examined his reflection in the mirror for a moment. His violet eyes stared back at him coolly. How he hated his eyes. I mean, who the heck had purple eyes!? They made him look so…vulnerable. What was it about his purple eyes that made people suddenly able to see into the depths of his soul!? What worried him even more was that he thought they could. Maybe it wasn't just his eye color, maybe it was him. Maybe it was that no matter how hard he tried to guard himself from people his eyes would always give him away. _

_He turned away from the mirror with a sigh as he ran his fingers once more through his hair._

_What should he do? The kitchen wouldn't open for a few hours and it wasn't like he had anything planned. Eventually deciding to go visit Akari, he ran into the kitchen to grab some cookies, before starting down the road that led to her house._

_He smiled as he walked. A bag, with the treat snuggly wrapped inside, was slung over his shoulder, and his hands shoved into his pockets. The only sound he heard was the twitter of bird calls, the soft flip of his sandals against the road, and the whisper of the breeze against his neck. It was a beautiful day. Complete with blue skies, bright flowers, and Tao taking a nap under a tree. _

_He was startled when suddenly Gill flew past him, walking briskly, without so much as a hostile word or a death glare. Chihaya watched the blond boy disappear around the corner and smiled as he remembered Akari telling him of her dinner at the mayor's house. She had been bouncing in her seat, soaked to the bone and shivering, but unable to wait even to go home and change before she told him what had happened. She told him how scared she had been about the pay back Gill promised he would have. And that when she got to his house and the mayor told her that Gill was the one who actually had the idea to invite her, she knew something was up. She started laughing when she told him what Gill had actually done, pouring a bucket of water on her head, and that she had told Gill that she was disappointed that he hadn't thought up something better. She regretted saying that though, because now he might do something worse to Chihaya. But she doubted it. The worst that Gill could do was pour a bucket of water on his head, so he just had to be wary of any suspicious situations involving doors. So Chihaya, for the past few days, had been kicking every door open in anticipation, but so far no buckets of water had been hanging above any of them._

_He was still smiling to himself when Luke ran into him, literally, and knocked him flat._

"_Gyah! Sorry Chihaya!" he exclaimed as he got to his feet and offered a hand to the boy who was rummaging wildly through his bag._

_Oh good. The cookies are safe._

"Its okay." Chihaya pulled himself to his feet and brushed the dirt off his previously crisp clean shirt. "What wrong?" he asked, seeing the blue haired boy's frantic expression.

"W-Well you see…." he began, tugging at his bandana. "I-I lost something…"

Chihaya nodded, encouraging the other boy to continue.

"Something I wasn't supposed to lose…"

"Well most things you lose you aren't supposed to lose, right?"

Luke shrugged. "Yeah…But I really, really, _really_ shouldn't have lost this. Actually I really shouldn't have had it either…"

"Ohhhhhh…." Chihaya said with a tilt of his head. "You took something of someone's and lost it? That's not good."

"I know!" Luke exclaimed with a wince. "That's why I need to find it!"

"Well, I suppose I could help you."

"Really!?"

"Yeah, sure. What was it that you lost? And where was the last place you saw it?"

Luke's eyes flew to the ground, searching the dirt for the right words to say. "I-I lost a watering can….."

"A watering can!?"

"And I cant remember where I last saw it….on a rock maybe….or by a tree…."

"A watering can!? Why do you even need a watering can!?"

"I don't remember…"

"You don't remember why you needed a watering can!?"

"No….I have no idea…."

Chihaya ran his fingers through his hair. This was going to be much harder then it needed to be.

"Okay. Lets start at the beginning. Who's watering can is it in the first place?"

Luke suddenly became fascinated with his boots.

"U-um…..it's……it's um……Akari's….."

"What!?" Chihaya exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "You stole Akari's watering can!?"

He nodded shamefully.

"Why!? You don't even need a watering can! You're a carpenter!"

"I told you already! I don't remember why I took it!"

"What's wrong with you!?"

"I don't know!"

"Akari needs that watering can!"

"I know! That's why I'm trying to find it!"

Chihaya took a deep breath.

"Okay….so you took the watering can….then what did you do with it?"

"I don't remember…"

Chihaya took another deep breath.

"I'm sure you did something…maybe watered a plant….?"

"That's possible…."

"Is that what you did?"

"How should I know!"

"You _should_ know!!"

"Sure, lets say I watered a plant."

"But you have no idea if that's what you actually did, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then this doesn't help us."

They both sighed.

"Well, I think we should tell Akari about this so she doesn't think she misplaced it." Chihaya said.

"Really? I was hoping I would find it before she even noticed it was gone."

"Well it looks like we are going nowhere fast, and she probably has realized it wasn't there."

Luke sighed despairingly but nodded.

So they walked the short distance to Akari's farm, Luke dragging his feet the whole way.

Akari was crouched over in her field, weeding around her precious sprouts. Her short brown hair fell out of her attempt of a ponytail and dangled in her face. She had just brushed away a stray piece of hair, making a large dirt stain on her cheek, when she looked up and saw her two visitors. She leapt to her feet, a wide smile claiming her face, and ran to greet them.

"Hey, Chihaya, Luke. What's up!?" she exclaimed, putting her gloved hands on her hips.

"Oh…nothing much…" Luke said, not meeting her eyes.

Chihaya returned her friendly smile before mouthing, "he needs to tell you something," with a nod at Luke.

She turned to him, her eyes a mix of impatience and concern. "What is it Luke?"

"Well you see I…….I well,…..I didn't mean to…"

"Mean to what?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"I didn't mean to lose you watering can."

Chihaya sighed.

Akari stared.

"You lost my watering can?"

"Yes…..I'm sorry."

"I didn't know you took my watering can."

"Oh, yeah…I'm sorry for that too."

"When did you take it?"

Luke squinted his eyes trying to remember.

"Yesterday, I think." he finally mumbled.

"Yesterday? But I just used my watering can this morning."

"What!?" Chihaya and Luke exclaimed at the same time.

"Yeah." she said with a shrug. "So you couldn't have taken it yesterday unless it found its way back to my tool shed all on its own. Are you sure it was mine?"

"Yes it had to be yours, and I remember it was at night…." Luke muttered.

They all stared at him.

"Do you remember anything other then taking the watering can?" Chihaya asked, suspicious of the blue haired boy's story.

Luke thought about this for a long time.

"I vaguely remember running over mountains with it in my arms and pouring water into a cloud."

"Wait, what?"

"I poured water into a cloud, you know, to make it rain-"

"You poured water into a _cloud_!?" Chihaya exclaimed, abruptly.

Realization dawned on his face. "Ohhhh……it was a dream…." Luke said with a far off look in his golden eyes. "I remember it perfectly now. I snuck into Akari's tool shed and stole her watering can because it was….. magic.….it felt so real…."

Chihaya smacked himself in the head, and Akari rolled her eyes.

"Well…"Luke slowly started to back away from them with a flush making its way across his cheeks. "I'm sorry for stealing your watering can and losing it… in my dream…see ya!"

And on that strange note, he disappeared down the road.

"Well…." Chihaya said, turning on his heel to face her. "That was weird."

"Typical Luke." She said with a shrug.

"That's right." He laughed, slipped his bag off his shoulder and displayed his bag of cookies before her like a trophy. "I thought you deserved a break."

Her eyes widened at the beautiful sight, her stomach growling involuntarily. (she was a starving farmer after all.) "Thanks. But really you had nothing better to do and figured coming to bother me would be better than sitting around being bored."

"You know me so well." he said with a smile.

They sat down on the grass to enjoy their treat. Both munching in silence, but not an awkward silence, a silence that let them enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

"You know what?" Akari said after awhile. "This farm will really be great someday."

"Yeah." he said following her eye over the land and trying to envision a bustling farm. "But you know what will be horrible once it is?"

"What?"

"You wont have as much free time as now. We probably wont be able to pull pranks on Gill, and just sit and hang out….like now…"

"It will be hard, but I promise we will still hang out, and never will we stop pulling pranks on Gill! Life would be meaningless without that!"

"Good." he said, but he didn't really believe her.

"Speaking of the ogre." She said wiggling to face him. "Has he made an attack on you yet?"

"No, nothing. I hope he does soon though, I'm tired of waiting."

"Me too…" She said with a thoughtful glance. "In the meantime we should try to come up with another prank."

"I don't know how we can top that last one!"

"Oh we will. We will blow it out of the water." she said mischievously.

---

After his visit with Akari, Chihaya made his way over to the bar. He tied his apron around his waist, stuck a pencil on his ear, then slouched over the counter waiting for the first customer of the day. He eyed the clock in front of him, willing it to move faster, but with no luck. One finger twirling a strand of hair, the other hand holding up his head, and the only sound he heard was the dreaded tick….tick….tick….

And then the chiming of the bell over the door, signifying a customer, but not the one he wanted.

Gill stood in the doorway. Eyes dark. Lips curling.

Suddenly Chihaya felt like he had been cornered.

"Hello, Chihaya." The blond boy said. "I would like some tomato juice."

Well understandably, this took Chihaya quite by surprise. He had expected thunder claps, fire and brimstone, not a drink order.

Gill wandered over to a table and sat down, the cook still gawking at him. He ignored the stares, and opened a book.

Chihaya made the drink slowly, with frequent glances up at his solitary customer. He was going to do something….but when? And what? Chihaya walked carefully over and placed the drink in front of him. Gill's eyes flicked up for a second as he said a dismissive, "Thank you." before falling back to the pages of his book.

He hovered over the other boy until his eyes shot back up and glared at him.

"You know what?" Gill said as Chihaya was walking away. "People have been saying things about Akari…"

Chihaya froze.

"You want to know what…right?"

Chihaya didn't say anything.

Gill chuckled. "They say that she doesn't belong here. That she's a curse, only bringing troubles to our peaceful lives."

Chihaya turned to him with a dead expression. Gill still didn't look up from his book.

"Silly…huh?" he mumbled.

Chihaya frowned. "Who is saying this?"

"Oh…everybody…."

"That's bull crap. Your making it up." Chihaya spat as he loomed over the other boy.

"Oh, really…?" Gill said, finally lifting his eyes from his book and staring up blankly. "You sure seem to be bothered by it though… Why is that…? You don't….like her, do you…?"

Chihaya leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. "What would that have to do with anything?"

"You are avoiding the question." Gill said, turning back to his book. "I assume that means 'Yes'…"

Chihaya glared at the boy with pity. "You are a pathetic little person aren't you?"

Gill's eyes shot up.

"Yeah…you have nothing better to do than be a beast to people, don't you?"

Gill closed his book and stood up.

"You don't care how you treat people, and then you think that you can get what you want from them."

Gill's eyes narrowed.

"Akari is right about you. You are an ogre."

Gill's mouth slightly opened. "She calls me an ogre?"

"Yeah." Chihaya said with a shrug.

He laughed.

Chihaya raised an eyebrow.

"That's actually really funny!" Gill said in between his chuckles.

Chihaya laughed too. "Yeah, it's clever isn't it?"

"She is a worthy opponent."

"She's going to kick your butt!"

Gill's furrowed his brow, then said, "I'm leaving." He took a sip of his tomato juice and walked toward the door.

Chihaya stared, dumbfounded. "Wait! That's it!?" he called after the blond.

Gill glanced at him over his shoulder as he stood in the doorway. "As far as you know…" he said under his breath.

And then he left.

Chihaya shook his head.

"I don't get him…"

He glanced over at where Gill had sat. Next to the glass of juice was a little leather book. He picked it up and examined it closer, flipping it to the first page he read;

"_Dear Diary,…" _

"Oh Man!" He exclaimed, leafing through the pages excitedly. "It's Gill's Diary!!!"

A number of thoughts now fluttered through his head.

What should he do with this bit of valuable information?

Give it back to Gill…..or to Akari…?

"Akari!" he said aloud, shoving the book under his arm and running toward the door.

No sooner had he stepped outside, a river of blue sticky liquid came cascading down from heaven, slathering him head to toe. His hair hung in his face limply and the thick mess dripped down his cheek. His eyes grew wide in shock.

Gill had done it.

Reaching up with one hand cautiously, he rubbed his fingers over a lock of blue coated hair then brought it to his face and examined the substance.

Paint.

Blue paint.

"Well…it wasn't a bucket of water I guess…" he mumbled.

He looked down at the now blue stained book in his hands. "Might as well still give this to her now…" he mused as he walked up the road to her farm.

He came to her door and knocked, (leaving a blue knuckle mark), and shuffled around uncomfortably as the paint dripped into his pants. She opened the door and burst out laughing.

"W-What happened!?" she managed to gasp out.

He did a fake pout. "The Ogre got me…"

She held her sides as another stream of laughter escaped her lips.

"Oh poor Chi-Chi!" she said tipping her head to the side. "Come in, come in." She grabbed him by the arm and ushered him into her house, he tried to resist, fearful that he would drip blue spots all over the floor.

"Now, now, that would actually be an improvement to my décor!" she insisted, as she planted him into a chair.

"Great, now forever will my butt print be in this chair." he mumbled, then remembered why he had come here.

"Look at this!" he exclaimed, handing her the little diary.

She took it from him, shaking off some of the paint before flipping it open.

"No way!" she squealed excitedly. "Gill's diary!? This is perfect!!"

"Yeah blackmail!" Chihaya piped in.

"No, better than that!" She said as she turned the pages. "We can use this to help in our crusade!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"Well, he must have wrote all his secrets in here, right!?"

He nodded.

"That means we can exploit all his secrets! All his fears!!"

"Wow…that's kind of…scary…" he mumbled, as a big clod of paint dripped into his eye.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, running for a towel.

He squinted his eyes, and breathed in through his clenched teeth. (paint wasn't very eye friendly…)

All he saw was darkness. Then a blurry object as he felt her dab at his eyes. Then finally he saw her large honey brown eyes staring into his intently.

"Wow, Chihaya…" She said once she was done. "You have beautiful eyes."

Her eyes were soft, he couldn't look away.

She smiled.

Maybe he would like his eyes after all…just maybe…

**End!**

**So this took me forever to write, I know. I've had some serious writers block and had no idea where to go with this story…but now I have some ideas! Yay!!**

**Anyways! Please review!!**


	6. Top Secret Information?

Part 6

Sorry I haven't written in like…forever! School really sucked away my motivation, not to mention my "Lappy" (laptop) died a slow and painful death! No worries now, I'm back! (hopefully)

Please, please, please review! You have no idea how much that helps.

This means WAR!

Top Secret Information?

**Akari chucked the little leather bound book to the other side of the room. Chihaya ducked just in time, narrowly missing a book to the face. His eyes were wide as he watched the petite girl fall to the floor in defeat. **

"**I don't get it!" she spat bitterly. "There is nothing in that diary! NOTHING! I've read it twenty times and still there isn't a bit of juicy information we could use to torture that blasted ogre! It's just useless blabber! It doesn't even make sense!" she ran her fingers through her hair with a sigh. **

"**I wonder…" she mumbled, her eyes drifting off. **

**Chihaya strode the length of the bar and squatted down next to her, hugging his knees to his chest. "What does he write in there then?" he asked.**

"**Here, I'll show you." she said, getting to her feet and picking up the diary before plopping down on the floor next to her partner in crime.**

**She flipped open to a random page and began reading.**

"_**Dear Diary; Today I woke up at six thirty. I had tomato juice for breakfast and left for work at seven. Elli was late to work again. At twelve I ate my lunch. It was a tomato sandwich. I went home late. Father says I'm antisocial. I had tomato soup for dinner and plan on going to bed at ten."**_

**Akari looked up at Chihaya. His face plainly read that he was confused.**

"**That's it?" he asked, looking over her shoulder to see if she was leaving something out.**

"**That's it!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "And all the other entries are just like it!" She flipped madly through the little book before stopping on a certain page. "This one here," she said pointing at the date, "is the day I first met Gill!"**

"**The day you punched him in the gut?"**

"**Yep! I'll read it to you. '**_**Dear Diary; today I woke up at six twenty three. I had tomato juice for breakfast. I went to work at six forty five. I finished the book I was reading. I had a tomato sandwich for lunch at twelve thirty. I found my watch. I had tomato salad for dinner. Father fell asleep under the table again. I plan on doing to bed at ten.'"**_

"**Sheesh…" Chihaya breathed, "you'd think that guy's skin tone would be red after all those tomatoes he eats…"**__

**Akari cocked her head to the side. "Well I suppose…but why didn't he write about me hitting him? He didn't even vent his anger at being punched by a girl or write how much he hated me! I don't get it!"**

**Chihaya shrugged. "Beats me. He sure is weird though, this diary isn't much of a diary, its more of log. He just writes the times he wakes up and when he eats…strange… I've heard of crazy people doing that… (long pause)…do you think Gill is insane!?"**

**Akari laughed, "Well, yes. But that's beside the point. Look at the bottom corners of every page." She pointed to the funny little letter at the corner and then flipped through the book showing that only some pages had a letter. "I'm not sure what their purpose is…"**

"**I wonder…." Chihaya mumbled, running his fingers through his wild peach locks, "I wonder…if Gill is…AN ALIEN!"**

"**A-A WHAT!?" Akari choked out before bursting into laughter.**

"**Come on! Think of it!" Chihaya exclaimed grabbing her arms to steady her. "He is here to observe the way we earthlings live so that once he gets back to the mother ship he can organize the invasion! He writes the times in which he wakes and when he eats because those are the degrees on a map for an attack point! It explains why he doesn't have any friends, he doesn't know how to behave around humans! And the tomatoes! Maybe tomatoes are the only earth food that he likes!"**

**Akari was crying with laughter now. Holding her sides desperately while the tantalizing image of Gill with green antennae danced in her mind. "The funniest part of that, is that it could be true!" she gasped.**

"**I know, right!" Chihaya said with a grin.**

"**But what about his father, the mayor. How do you explain him!?"**

**Chihaya tipped his head to the side in deep thought. "He was abducted years ago and was implanted with a high tech chip that causes him to act like a complete idiot and be oblivious to everything…That's why when his real son was abducted and replaced with an alien baby he couldn't tell the difference! The chip did give him the information that his son was an alien , subconsciously, and programmed him to make sure that he doesn't stand out too much." Realization suddenly dawned on his face. **

"**That's also why he want you to marry his son! Subconsciously the chip is telling him that you are on to his son's disguise, and the only way to stop you is to make you marry him and force you into secrecy!" **

**Mock fear filled his eyes. "Don't marry him Akari! I'm afraid they would abduct you and make you an alien too!"**

Akari chuckled, "You don't need to worry about that!" She reassured him with a disgusted face. "And although there are some flaws in your theory… it is a _wonderful_ idea…" A wicked grin slowly claimed her face.

Chihaya raised his eyebrows. "I know that look…" He said, his eyes glimmering mischievously. "What's the plan?"

---

Gill still had the warm content feeling in his stomach from the delicious tomato soup he had practically inhaled at dinner. His father had finally stopped raising his eyebrows every time Gill made himself something to eat where the sole ingredient was tomatoes. But he still wouldn't let up about that girl…that _Akari_.

"I like her." His father declared for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. "She is so spunky! So energetic! So _cute_!!"

Gill rolled his eyes behind the book he was reading.

"If I were you…" the mayor continued, "I wouldn't let a girl like her out of my sight! It's only a matter of time before one of the other young men in town realize what a find she really is and swipes her up from under your nose!"

_Under my nose…?_ Gill thought with a sneer.

"I'd keep my eye on that cook, Chihaya." (Hamilton's monologue continues) "He has a thing for her, I can tell. But if you hurry up and start your wooing I'm sure you will sweep her off her feet in no time!--"

_I didn't think people still used the word 'wooing'…_

"--After all you are so darn cute I don't know how any girl could refuse you!! You get that on my side of the family, by the way!"

_I'm so sure…_

"Not to mention you two are sooooooo compatible! I mean you complement each other so well!! Not only in looks, but hey, those grandbabies would be so adorable! They could have your blond hair and her brown eyes, or her brown hair and your blue eyes! Or better yet, they could look like me!!!"

Gill's eye twitched.

"And you know how excited I am for grandbabies!!--"

Gill had had enough.

"Father. Your ridiculous notions of having grandchildren are wasting your time. Not only is the possibility of me having children in the far distant future, but the idea of Akari being my wife is absolutely ridiculous." He snapped the book shut coldly and gave his father a blank stare.

"I cant stand the girl." he hissed.

The mayor reeled back slightly in his chair. "Cant stand her, you say?" he said rubbing his chin thoughtfully and examining his stiff son. "I get it!" he exclaimed hitting his fist to his palm, "Your in denial!"

Gill gave up the fight with a sigh, got up from his chair and started up the stairs to his room.

"It's okay son!" Hamilton called behind him. "You don't need to worry about my accepting her! I already consider her part of the family!!" He smiled at his son's departing figure then winced when he heard him slam the door of his room.

"I sure hope those grandbabies inherit their mother's personality…" he mumbled happily to himself.

---

Gill quickly changed into his pajamas. It was hot that night so he only wore the bottoms, a pair of soft plaid shorts. Turning the light off in his room, he collapsed on the bed and curled himself into a ball. His hair and skin looked white in the moonlight that filtered in through his window and poured onto his bed. His eyes were heavy, the lids willing them to close. Sleep soon had him.

Suddenly a blinding white light flooded his room.

Gill's eyes snapped open just in time to watch the light seep back out the window it had come from.

Gill leapt/fell off his bed and flew to the open window. His eyes were wide as he saw a glint of light vanishing into the woods. Then a beam of green light hit him right in the face. He ducked down beneath the window sill quickly, snatched the sheet from off his bed and wrapped it over his head until only his eyes were visible before peaking up over the sill again. The green light swung around crazily and was soon joined by a red beam of light then two white bursts of light.

Gill watched in fascination.

_What is that…?_ he thought.

Red and green lights suddenly appeared in a circular formation that he could see in a clearing straight ahead. And then there was the rustling of bushes.

Gill snapped the window closed and sprang back to his bed with the idea that, _I'm dreaming! I'm dreaming! I will fall asleep and everything will be all right again in the morning!_

But it wasn't a dream.

He could still hear the rustling of the bushes and then the trees as whatever it was came closer. He peaked his eyes open for only a second and in the moment a crooked black figure passed by his window. He nearly wet his pants.

He closed his eyes tightly again and pretended he was a little kid again with a wild imagination.

"This isn't real." he tried to convince himself. "I don't believe in aliens anymore!"

He opened his eyes slowly.

That's right. He didn't believe in aliens anymore because aliens were not real.

A horrible transformation took place on his face, twisting it into an expression of complete rage.

"AKARI!" He bellowed, flying from his bed to the window. He pried it open then stuck his head out and yelled, "Show your faces you pests or I'm going to--"

Something swung down from the roof, and met Gill face to face. It was a dark twisting creature that shocked Gill so much he couldn't breathe. Bright red and green lights wound around its body as it hung in the air in front of him. It made a strange tooting noise in the back of its throat then reached one twisting claw out to stroke his face. Before it could touch him a blood chilling scream escaped his lips, a blindingly bright flash of light disabled him, and he passed out.

---

The next morning Gill woke up on his back on the floor of his room. Sweat clung to his neck and lower back and he felt a goose egg on the back of his head. He pulled himself into a sitting position, causing a piece of paper to slide off his chest.

It was a Polaroid picture of his screaming face and on the back it read…

_Gotcha!!!! _

**End!**

**Oh how glorious it feels to be writing again. Let me know what you think of this chappie! More and better things to come!**


	7. A Double Agent

_OH!!!!! I'm really excited for this story all of a sudden! Hope you all are too!_

_Please review and things!! _

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**This means WAR!**_

_**A Double Agent**_

_**--**_

_**The little bell above the door at the inn chimed merrily.**_

"_**I'll be there in just a minute!" Chihaya called from the kitchen.**_

_**Gill stood in the doorway menacingly with a horridly dark and choking aura as he stared at the girl sleeping at one of the tables.**_

_**Akari! **_**He yelled inside his head. **

**He walked slowly toward her, grinning wickedly, while she snored pleasantly. Then he lifted his hand as if to strike her just as Chihaya leapt out from the kitchen brandishing a skillet as a weapon. **

"**Step away from her, ogre." Chihaya said will a chilly calmness. "That act would be low even for you."**

**Gill's eyes narrowed, his arm still raised, then he slammed his fist down on the table jolting Akari awake. **

**She jumped violently at seeing Gill and then raised an eyebrow at Chihaya. **

"**What's going on?" she asked sleepily. **

"**This is what's going on!" Gill spat, lifting his fist off the table and revealing the Polaroid of him screaming. "For the record I wasn't afraid!"**

**Chihaya lowered the skillet with a sigh.**

"**I just wanted to let you know that." Gill said icily. His cold blue eyes were piercing hers.**

"**Well, if that's true…then why did you scream like a little girl?" Akari asked matter-of-factly.**

"**I didn't." he claimed.**

**She pointed at the picture. "I'm thinking you did."**

**He growled. "You just took me off guard is all."**

"**That's the same thing as being afraid." Akari pointed out.**

"**Did you seriously come here to complain about our prank?" Chihaya said mockingly. "How ridiculous--"**

"**Shut up you worthless piece of trash!" Gill spat.**

**Akari sprang to her feet and smashed Gill's loafer with the heel of her boot. "Haven't I taught you to not call people names…?" She hissed murderously against his cheek. **

**Gill ground his teeth together to stop himself from showing his pain and pushed Akari away from him. He didn't push her very hard but she toppled over the chair that was behind her and landed on the floor with a loud bang. **

**Chihaya quickly ran to her side but she brushed his helping hands away.**

"**You think you are so smart don't you?" Gill breathed, he was looking down, his face hidden by his pale blond hair. **

"**You think you are **_**actually**_** competent. That you can **_**actually**_** prove your worth…" He slowly raised his head, revealing a sinister smile. "But it's pointless."**

"**It's funny, really…watching you work on that farm of yours…thinking you could make it worthwhile again." He cocked his head to the side. **

"**And then with me." His eyes locked with hers. "You think you can actually get the best of me." He chuckled coldly. "Well, you have another thing coming…"**

"**Are you finished!?" She spat through clenched teeth. **

**His eyes narrowed. **

**She pulled herself to her feet, swatting Chihaya away. "You are all talk aren't you!?"**

**She took a step forward threateningly. "You act so tough, but really you are nothing. Your not even worthy competition for us." She said with a nod toward Chihaya.**

"**Is that so?" Gill growled.**

"**Yes, it **_**is**_**." She lifted her chin, daring him to prove her wrong, then whispered, "We are going to ground you into the dust."**

**The bell above the door chimed, and Luke wandered into the threatening atmosphere. His eyes shifted from Chihaya and Akari to Gill who stood in a silent face off. He had just begun to sneak backwards towards the door when Gill shot him a deadly look that froze him to the spot. **

**Gill glared at Akari one last time before spitting out a, "Good day," spinning on his heel and walking briskly out the door making the little bell chime again.**

"**Sheesh….that guy gives me the creeps…" Luke whistled once he was sure Gill was gone.**

"**Tell me about it…" Chihaya muttered. Then he suddenly started inspecting Akari for any possible scratches from her fall. "Are you okay!?" he asked with a worried crinkle on his brow.**

"**I'm fine." she lied, while obviously rubbing her elbow in pain.**

"**No you are not, let me see that!" **

**She tried to squirm away from him but was quickly pushed into a chair as Chihaya examined the rash. **

"**Stop fussing over me, would ya?" She mumbled, staring at the top of his fuzzy peach head as he knelt beside her chair.**

"**No, I'm not going to stop." He said, rubbing some ointment on her elbow. "You need someone to fuss over you. You need someone to be there and make sure you are okay."**

**She didn't say anything for a moment, then muttered angrily, "If that stupid Gill wouldn't have pushed me over then you wouldn't have to fuss over me!"**

**Chihaya carefully placed a band aide over her rash and looked up into her honey eyes with a sigh. "As much as I hate the guy, I'm pretty sure he didn't do that on purpose."**

"**Huh?" Akari said in disbelief. **

"**You were, after all, standing on his foot. He pushed you to get you off, but when he saw that you were falling he didn't look pleased or anything. He honestly looked concerned."**

"**What? Gill concerned?" Akari asked skeptically. "I really doubt that."**

**Chihaya shrugged then jumped when Luke suddenly loomed over him with a painful grin.**

"**I'd hate to break up this touching scene…" Luke said. "But I came here for lunch, and I'm about ready to eat the table there in a second."**

"**Oh sorry!" Chihaya exclaimed, leaping to his feet and dashing off into the kitchen. "The usual right!?" He called over his shoulder as he began whipping out pots and pans.**

"**Yeah, that's great!" Luke cheered as he plopped down in a chair next to Akari.**

**She was flipping through Gill's diary again, trying to figure out what any of it meant. Luke peaked over her shoulder.**

"**What's that?" he asked.**

"**Gill's diary.""Oh! No way! I thought that was only a legend!!" **

**She laughed. "Nope its real….and utterly useless."**

"**Hmmm…." he watched her flip the pages. "That's weird…"**

"**Your telling me…"**

"**I wonder if Gill is paranoid that someone will read his diary so he fills it with pointless stuff like this."**

"**But then why would he keep the diary if there is nothing in it?"**

"**Maybe…maybe because there is a secret message in there that is something he needs to remember or dives directions to a secret place or something!"**

"**Secret message…?" she mused. "But how would we even know what the secret message was when we don't know what to look for…?" **

**He was quiet for a moment, deep in thought.**

"**Hey! Those letters in the corner! I bet if you get all the letters you can spell out the secret message!"**

**Akari stared at him a gasp. "That's a terrific idea!!! Luke you are a genius!!" She quickly grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and was scrawling down the letters while Luke marveled at being called a genius.**

"**Nobodies ever called me that before…"**

"**Well you are one!" She assured him. "How did you ever come up with something like that!?"**

**He cocked his head to the side. "I don't remember…"**

**She laughed to herself. Maybe he wasn't a genius…he just had spurts of genius. **

**---**

**For the next half hour Akari, Luke, and Chihaya arranged and rearranged the letters into possible words. **

"**I've got it!" Luke exclaimed dramatically. "It's 'Rose de Unneth!"**

"**Huh?" Chihaya mumbled. "What is that?"**

**Luke shrugged. "Something French…?"**

"**I don't think so…" Akari mused. "I'm ninety nine percent sure that that isn't French and that Gill wouldn't write his secret message in French anyway."**

"**Then what is it?" Luke asked.**

"**Well, if you replace the 'R' in 'Rose' with a 'N" you get 'Nose'…" Chihaya mumbled. "But what does nose have to do with anything…?"**

"**Nose…nose…nose…" Luke tapped his nose thoughtfully. **

"**Well, if you take out the letters for 'nose' you can easily find 'the' and I bet that is right…" Akari said, moving around the bits of paper that had the letters written on them. "All that's left is a 'D, N, E, U, and R'." **

**Chihaya slapped his hands together. "It's 'under'! 'Under the nose!'"**

"**Okay…but what does that mean…?" Akari scratched her head.**

"**Oh! I've heard of that before! Through from who I don't remember… Anyway, it's a rock on the side of the mountain that looks like a giant nose!" Luke said excitedly. "Whatever Gill's secret is, it must be buried under that rock! And funny thing too! I found a map this morning that leads you right to it!" He pulled a crinkled up map from his back pocket.**

"**Wow…this could actually make sense…" Akari breathed, feeling victorious that they had finally discovered the secret of Gill's diary. "Luke! Go show us to this rock!"**

**---**

**They hiked up the side of the mountain carrying shovels and could see the unmistakable rock formation just up ahead next to a tree. **

**Akari stopped suddenly and looked behind her. **

**Something didn't feel right…**

"**Here we are!" Luke said, slapping one giant nostril. "I bet cha it's riiiiiiight….." he scanned the ground and found two sticks positioned to make an 'X'. "Right here!" he exclaimed. **

"**X does mark the spot…" He said with an uncertain shrug. **

**Akari could tell that he thought something was fishy too.**

**Luke stared at them. "Well lets get diggin!" And with that he stuck his shovel in the dirt. **

**Chase exchanged a worried look with Akari then took a hesitant step forward.**

**Suddenly the world was turned upside down and everything started spinning. Akari felt her legs get whipped out from under her as she was pulled toward the sky. She then quickly realized that she was caught in a net with an uncomfortable lump beneath her that was probably Chihaya since she could hear him groaning. **

"**Chihaya, are you okay!?" she exclaimed, trying to shift her weight so that he could wiggle into a sitting position. **

"**Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Are you?" he asked, and he instinctively checked to see if she had any scratches again. **

"**I'm fine!" she said, annoyed that he was fussing over her again but let him for his own benefit. She then caught sight of Luke who was staring at them with guilt all over his face. "Luke? Did you…?"**

"**I didn't mean to!" He exclaimed. "I completely forgot about it! But it was him who told me about the code in the diary and gave me this map…" He slapped himself in the head. "How could I have forgotten that!?"**

"**Wait!" Akari exclaimed. "You mean--"**

"**My, My…" Came a chilling voice from behind the rock formation. "Look what I've caught…a couple of wild animals."**

**Gill stepped out from behind the rock, holding his real diary with a wicked grin on his beautiful face.**

"**I told you, you had another thing coming, now didn't I?"**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Well this chapter certainly isn't the most thrilling…but it sets things up right? I wanted to show more of the feisty Akari here…**

**The juicy stuff is next!!!**

**Please review! **

**And if you haven't voted either for Gill or Chihaya to end up with Akari on the poll on my profile, do so right NOW! **

**Bye!**


	8. Prisoner of War

PART 8

WOOTWOOT!

(I don't know why, but my pages keep freaking out on me…like bolding everything or underlining everything. I don't mean to so that…just so you know. I guess FF doesn't quite like word processor…)

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**This means WAR!**

**Prisoner of War**

**---**

"**Wipe that ugly grin off your face!" Akari spat, literally spat, at Gill's smug expression.**

"**You don't much like not being the one with the upper hand, now do you?" He said softly, grinning wider. **_**Now you know how it feels. **_**He thought.**

**She was wiggling ferociously in the little net above his head, causing Chihaya much discomfort, and nearly frothing with anger over being duped like that.**

"**Why, you little….." She snapped at him, leaping forward in the net in an attempt to make it break, which only caused it to swing violently. Chihaya's hand flew to his mouth as his face turned an avocado green. "I think I'm gunna puke…" He mumbled. The poor guy…**

**She immediately stopped but clung to the net desperately and growled, "When I get out of here I'm gunna--"**

"**Exactly." Gill interrupted with tilt of his chin. "When and **_**if **_**you get out of there… If you hadn't noticed, you are a good deal off the ground, there is nothing near you to help you break free, and neither of you is equipped with a sharp instrument…" He sounded so cold and mechanical, as if he was stating the weather. **

"**And, no." He added with a quick death glare at Luke. "He will not be interfering as well."**

**Luke made a sad-wet-puppy-in-the-freezing-rain look, mouthing, "I'm sorry," to Akari and Chihaya.**

**Gill glanced at the watch on his pale slender wrist. "I believe it's time we take our leave." He said to Luke, then turned with a polite and innocent smile to his victims. "I sure hope things go well for you, that you can get out of there soon. I heard it's going to rain tonight. And well,…" His smile twisted maliciously. "…that would be unfortunate…"**

**He turned and started walking away with Luke at his heels, Chihaya watched them blankly, and Akari was spitting flames.**

"**I wouldn't worry about us if I were you! What **_**really **_**would be unfortunate is you waking up in the middle of the night and realizing all your teeth have been knocked out!!!!" She yelled to his back.**

**Chihaya raised his eyebrows and Gill twitched noticeably, then glanced over his shoulder at her coldly. "Do I really cause you so much displeasure…?" His voice oozing with mock sadness. **

**Her eyes narrowed threateningly.**

"**Good!" He said with an absolutely wicked grin curling his lips. He then looked away and walked down the hillside. **

**Akari's hands were balled into fists. "I hate that blasted little…jerk…" she hissed venomously, then threw her hands up in the air with exasperation. "Gah! He got the last word!"**

"**No he wont." Chihaya said, pulling his face up to the net and then yelling, "Dirt bag!" He froze as if listening. "There ya go." He said, very self-satisfied.**

**Then coming up over the hill they heard the rise and falls of a voice that very well could have been someone saying, "Shut up, you trash!"**

"**Hmm….never mind." Chihaya said with a shrug. **

**Akari sighed, slipping her legs through the netting at the bottom and letting them dangle. "You sure you don't have a butter knife on you or something?" **

"**No, I left it in my other pants. I thought the being caught in a net gag wouldn't be pulled 'till tomorrow." He said teasingly. **

"**How are you so calm…?" She asked in mild amazement.**

**He shrugged again and smiled. "Well, I figure this is probably one of the lesser tortures Gill could have put us through, considering what we have done to him. I'm also pretty sure someone will notice us gone within the next hour or so, or Luke will spill his guts and help will be on the way…" he looked at her with his soft violet eyes , "And there's nobody else I'd rather be stuck in a net with… So I figure we got things pretty good!" He said laughing. **

"**Sheesh! Your so annoying with your cup half full attitude!" she teased, blushing slightly. "Half empty is the way to go. That way you are never disappointed, and you can be surprised when something goes good."**

**He thought about this with a tilt of his head. "I cant really agree with you on that…" He said. "But at least we balance each other out!" **

**She laughed and shook her head. "But we are still caught in a net. And I don't know about you, but I'm not waiting around for someone to come save us. Plus…" She looked up at the sky which was slowly being covered by heavy dark clouds. "…it does look like it's going to rain."**

"**Rain never hurt anybody." Chihaya said, rubbing his eye sleepily.**

"**Sure." She said. "But lightening has. And we are in a tree on a barren hillside. Although it's a small chance that it's going to be a thunder storm, and a small chance we could get hit by lightening… I'm not so sure I want to take that chance…"**

**Chihaya nodded. "Good point. Let's get out of here!" Then as an afterthought he asked. "Do you think Gill knew that putting us out here in a net could be possibly life threatening!? We never pulled any pranks on him that he could have **_**died **_**from!"**

**She shrugged as she pulled herself to her feet and fiddled with the ropes that held the net in the tree. "He could have been scared to death I suppose…"**

**Chihaya shook his head. "No…he couldn't possibly be trying to kill us…could he…?"**

**---**

**Gill sat in his favorite chair reading a book. He was completely enveloped in his 'happy place' where everything was nice and quiet. **

**A loud snarling snore interrupted his paradise. The snore belonged to Luke, who was sprawled on the floor in an induced coma. (A.K.A, given enough candy that he passed out.) **

**Gill felt so content, so satisfied, so proud, that he had finally gotten back at those pesky pieces of trash. **

**The whole plan had gone perfectly...well it ended up perfectly. First Chihaya found the diary he had planted that day he poured a bucket of paint on his head. Then he and Akari read it and had no idea what it meant. So that's when Gill had to help them out by feeding the information to Luke in a round about way so that he wouldn't catch on that he was a pawn. (He didn't need to worry.) Then with the help of Luke they cracked the code and were able to discover the location of his most secret, secret. (Which, of course, didn't exist.) Then they triggered the net just as he had planned and now were hanging six feet in the air with no way to get down. **

_**Perfect…**_

**A bolt of lightening fluttered outside the window, illuminating the sky and the landscape briefly before a roar of thunder.**

_**Oh good. It is raining! **_**Gill thought happily as he glanced out the window. **_**I can't wait to see Akari looking like a drowned rat.**_

**He flipped a page in his book happily. Nothing could tear him from this pleasure. Not even Luke's snores.**

_**Wait a second…**_

**Gill glanced up over the top of his book. **

_**Wouldn't a tree in a thunderstorm be unsafe…? **_

**He contemplated carefully what to do.**

_**Oh well!**_

**He turned back to his book but found he kept reading the same line over and over. **

_**But what if…something bad happens…? (shoulder angel)**_

_**Who cares they deserve it! (shoulder devil)**_

_**They deserve to die!? Umm…that's a little extreme… (shoulder angel)**_

_**Extreme!? Did you forget what they have done to you!? They have made a fool out of you TWICE! When are you going to start standing up for yourself? And who said they are going to die!? Most likely nothing will happen, they will just get wet. Go back to enjoying your book. (shoulder devil)**_

_**But what if something does happen…what would you do…if they got hurt…That would be taking things too far. (shoulder angel)**_

_**Wimp. (shoulder devil)**_

**Gill snapped his book closed one second, and the next he had his raincoat on and was running into the storm.**

**---**

**Gill ran up the steep hill, the mud licking his legs and splattering in his face. The rain prickled his eyes, nearly blinding them. He could hear nothing but the sound of the wind and the thunder barreling across the sky.**

**He leaned against a rock to catch his breath and brush his rain slicked hair away from his face. **

**The Nose Rock was just up ahead with the tree he had left Akari and Chihaya in. It was whipping its branches about wildly as if in some dance as the wind howled in his ear. His raincoat lashed against his legs and he squinted his eyes until they were nearly closed as he made his way up the final stretch of the hill.**

**There he stood.**

**The wind and rain beating him to the bone.**

**The net was torn and lay limp on the ground.**

**Completely alone.**

_**I told you… (shoulder devil)**_

_**---**_

**Akari and Chihaya sat drinking hot chocolate in the inn as they watched the rain fall steadily out the window.**

"**Sure is coming down hard." Akari said in between bites of her chocolate chip cookie.**

"**Yeah." Chihaya agreed, blowing on his hot chocolate. "Good thing we got out when we did or we might have been caught in that mess."**

**Akari shivered. "Oh yeah, and it looks so cold out there. Luckily I had those fingernail clippers in my pocket. I usually never carry those around."**

"**It's as if you knew we would need them today."**

**She nodded, sipping from her mug. "What do you think we should do to get him back?" **

"**Don't know. It has to be something good though. Something to top his prank for sure."**

"**Of course! But what!?"**

"**Well since now we know that the diary we had was a fake…the one Gill had earlier must be the real one. I bet there are some good things--"**

**Just then the door burst open, the bell above the door jingled abruptly, and there stood Gill. Drippy from head to foot.**

"**Gill!?" Chihaya exclaimed, nearly dropping his hot chocolate mug on the floor. "What are you doing out in this weather!?"**

**Gill raised his head slowly. His cold blue eyes piercing, his hair flattened to his head and curling on his forehead and cheeks, and his lips set in a firm line as he stood there shivering.**

**He took in their dry clothes, the cups of streaming hot chocolate, and the comfortable atmosphere then quickly swiveled on his heel and stepped back outside.**

"**Wait!" Akari ran to the door and called after him. "Are you okay?"**

**He jerked his head over his shoulder and spat, "Do I look okay?"**

**She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "You look like a drowned rat."**

**His eye twitched and he whipped his face forward again, continuing on.**

"**We got out!" She yelled tauntingly to him.**

"**I can see that!" He yelled over his shoulder. **

_**Wow…I bet you feel like an idiot. (shoulder devil)**_

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**End**

**Introducing the shoulder angel and devil of Gill! YAY!**

**Please let me know what you think. Likes, dislikes, anything is appreciated. **


	9. Conspiracy

**Welcome to part 9. **

**It being quite a while since I have last updated I apologize. But you know how life can be. Busy. Well please enjoy and review!**

This Means WAR!

Conspiracy

Akari held the watering can limp in her hand, the water trickled from it steadily drowning a poor plant. She stared off into space, her brow slightly furrowed, oblivious to everything around her. Her mind raced with the possibilities of what horrible deeds she could come up with as her magnificent revenge. Alas, when any good idea started to form inside her head suddenly the drippy head of Gill would appear in her minds eye and mysteriously her ideas would flutter away. There was something about the way he had looked that night, apart from being drenched, that she couldn't shake out of her head. As hard as she tried she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She brushed away the little strands of her hair that refused to be held back in the bandana, leaving a long trail of soil across her forehead from her dirty gloves. What should she _do_?

Her eyes finally settled back on the plant she was watering as the sound of trickling water stopped and her watering can suddenly felt unusually light. On seeing the flooded soil around the plant she decided that she needed a break. She put her watering can away and set off down the road not knowing quite where she was headed.

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After shuffling her feet down the roads of Waffle Town for a good half hour she found herself in front of Town Hall. This was where Gill worked. She knew that. So of all places why did she come here? She stared at the door, finding herself annoyed by the size of it.

_What does Gill do here anyway? _She thought tipping her head slightly. _I bet he just sits around and acts important. _And from that thought sprouted a few good jabs of mockery she could throw at the ogre. _Let's go inside! _She thought giddily.

There was nothing better than making that fussy blond squirm to set her in a good mood.

She pushed the door open hesitantly and found herself instantly disappointed.

There was no fussy blond in sight.

"Oh, hello there!" called a woman from behind a desk. She had a pretty face and the sort of smile that made you want to smile back. She snapped the book she had been flipping through shut and gave Akari her full attention. "We don't get much visitors here. I'm Elli, what's your name?"

"My name is Akari. I am the new farmer."

"Oh yes, I've heard all about you." Said the older woman, much to Akari's surprise.

"You have?"

"Oh yes, dear. Well, I haven't heard _all_ about you, but you are all Gill talks about…"

_Excuse_ _me_!? Akari thought, her eyebrows raised in shock.

"…when Gill talks of course… which isn't very often…." Elli mumbled.

"Are you sure you have the right Akari?" Akari asked.

Elli wasn't listening anymore. "He has always been so antisocial, I think its great that he has finally found a friend!" She clapped her hands together and smiled merrily.

Akari stared at her tightlipped, not knowing quite what to say. Then finally asked cautiously, "What does he say about me?"

"Oh, well…" Elli tilted her head back in thought. "Something like this…" She slouched down in her seat and sat with her hands on either side of her head holding it up. Her lips curled into a trademark Gill frown with a slight pout. Then she switched her voice into a low gravely tone exaggerating Gill's as she said, " 'Oh I bet Akari is over at the bar right now, laughing it up with that stupid waiter…' Or, 'I'm going to get back at Akari, and this time she will be down on her hands and knees begging me for forgiveness…'"

_Yeah…_thought Akari, _Sounds like we're best buds…_

"You need something dear?" Elli asked softly leaning over the desk and studying the suddenly mute young woman carefully. "Are you looking for Gill?"

Akari shook her head 'no' enthusiastically.

"Well he didn't come in to work today." She said, suddenly gloomy.

"What? Why?" Akari finally found her voice again.

"I know, its quite out of character…and its really sad… he apparently was out in that dreadful storm last night and woke up this morning with a terrible cold. The Mayor said it was very severe and that he cant leave the house…"

A strange knot of guilt worked its way into Akari's stomach, but why? She had no reason to feel guilty. It was his fault for running around Waffle Town in a rainstorm. And yet….there the knot was.

"Oh, I just remembered!" Elli continued. "The Mayor also said that Gill would welcome any visitors. But only if they were beautiful young ladies…" She tipped her head thoughtfully to the side. "I wonder why only beautiful young ladies….? Well anyways, there is not much going on here, why don't I go with you over to visit him? That's where you were headed next wasn't it? Gill would really love having a visit from his friend!"

Akari's brain suddenly switched to flight mode. "A-actually I'm not r-really his frie--"

"Akari, you are such a great person." Elli said as she gathered her belongings from the desk and placed them in her bag. Akari froze. "Gill has been such a lonesome soul for so long, although it doesn't seem to bother him, nobody likes to be alone _all _the time." Akari felt that weird guilt knot in her stomach again. Elli slung her bag over her shoulder and turned to the young woman smiling sweetly. "He may seem hard on the outside, but I just know there is a good, kind hearted, and loving person inside of him."

_Yeah, right… _Akari thought while trying to force a smile.

"I know I haven't known you for very long, just met in fact…" The monologue continued, "But I know there is something inside of you that will bring that loving side of him out."

Akari's smile turned into a grimace. _Wow, she is lathering it on pretty thick…_

"Well, shall we?" Elli headed off toward the door and made sure to lock it behind her while Akari stood by trying to figure out how to get away. Elli turned to the younger girl and smiled her winning smile. "Gill would come back from the grave and haunt me if he knew I didn't lock the door." Her jaw dropped and she covered her mouth with one delicate hand in shame. "That was a horrible thing to say…"

_I'm thinking that sounds pretty good right about now…_ Akari thought glumly.

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"HO, HO, HO! What have we here!?" Bellowed Hamilton, sounding like some perverted Santa Claus. He made a show of escorting them in with a flourish then craned his neck towards the stairs and Gill's room at the top as he yelled, "Well if it isn't Elli _and AKARI_!" Emphasizing her name completely inconspicuously. "This is such a wonderful _surprise_!"

_Its comforting to know at least The Mayor is acting normal. _Akari thought with a smirk.

Hamilton suddenly whipped around and grabbed her shoulder, prying her away from Elli's protective side and giving her a good shove towards the stairs. "Now why don't you young things go talk upstairs, _alone_!"

Akari stared at him mortified.

"Don't worry, I'll be up in a minute with milk and cookies!!" He slapped his protruding belly, and it jiggled like a bowl full of jelly…

Akari shivered and searched for an escape route. Hadn't she done this exact thing before? Deja vu… "Actually I should be getting back to the farm…." she grasped lamely for an excuse, "I got some….farmin' I need to do…"

"But you should at least go check if your friend is alright, right?" Came the soft voice of Elli gazing sweetly at her.

Akari's eyes were as big as dinner plates and pleaded _Do I have to?_

The other two just smiled at her.

Resigned to her fate, Akari shuffled up the stairs, head hung low, while Hamilton shoved a wad of cash into Elli's hands.

"Nice job!" He whispered once he heard Akari's footsteps overhead. "That last bit was beautifully done!"

Elli's eyes widened, her sweet smile twisted into a mischievous sneer, then licking her thumb, she began counting the bills. "It was easy really, she came right to me." she said, "All I had to do was convince her to follow me to your house. The girl is a sucker for sob stories." "Brilliant…" Hamilton sighed gazing up with sparkling eyes to where the 'love birds' were meeting.

Happy with her reward, Elli shoved the money into her bag and extended her hand out to Hamilton. "Nice doing business with you." She said shaking his hand. "But I feel bad for the poor sap who marries your son…" She turned toward the door. "No offense."

"None taken." Hamilton said with a shrug.

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Akari stood outside of Gill's bedroom door, her hand outstretched, fingers barely touching the cool surface of the handle. A thought crept into her mind, making her hand flash back. Wait a second. She was about to back down just then. That wasn't like her at all. She knew she could handle any of Gill's antics. And plus, a short visit couldn't hurt, right?

She clenched her fists determinedly and opened the door.

Now she stood in the doorway of HIS room and it felt as if she was sneaking into the dragon's lair…or ogre's lair to be precise… She took a hesitant step inside as though she was walking through a mine field and closed the door softly behind her. Her eyes scanned the room finding it….orderly, as was to be expected. She had seen it briefly once before but at that time she had been covered in Christmas twinkle lights and dangling from the roof outside the window. She chuckled softly.

Suddenly remembering why she was here she turned toward the bed and was relieved to find Gill sound asleep. Apparently the loud bellows from his father hadn't roused him…unless he was faking it. She waved her hand experimentally in front of his face and poked him on the shoulder as cautiously as though he were a bomb. Deciding he was genuinely asleep she put a hand to his forehead. He didn't seem to have a fever but what did she know, she was no doctor. It was then that she finally _looked_ at him.

_HOLY FUDGE! WHY IS HE IN THE NUDE!? _She yelled inside her head as she leapt away from the bed. Well, technically he wasn't nude. He was wearing boxer shorts. But still. _Well that was a long enough visit in my opinion, time to go! _In her desperation to get away she tripped over one of Gill's loafers, landing hard on her butt. She winced, but quickly looked up to see if she had woken him. Luckily he just breathed deeply and rolled over in his bed, now facing her.

From her position on the floor she could see the rise and fall of his chest. The sheet that was his only covering was wound around his legs. His arms were cradled under his head and his face was void of the frown and furrowed eyebrows that normally resided there. His pale blond hair was a mess of cowlicks and honestly looked like wild grass, sticking up in every direction. He seemed so peaceful, beautiful even, so unlike an ogre. She could almost believe he wasn't the same guy who tied her and Chihaya up in a tree. _Almost_…

A certain unnerving feeling made her grab at her stomach, that sort of twisting knots feeling. But this time it wasn't guilt.

"Stupid pretty ogre…" She muttered under her breath.

Now she _really_ needed to get out of here! Something about this place was getting to her head. Pretty soon she would be thinking things like Gill was--no, lets not even go there!

She pulled herself to her feet awkwardly and hopped over to the door careful to make each step perfectly silent. Her hand shot out, gripped the handle, and turned it only to be dismayed by the little clink sound it made as metal hit metal and there was no give. The door wouldn't budge.

"What….?" she breathed trying again but to no avail.

She tried again. Then again. And then a fifth time. But each time the little clink sound was heard and her heart beat began beating faster and faster. "Oh, this isn't good…" she hissed between clenched teeth. "This really isn't good." By the twentieth time around at just turning the door knob she decided to come about this in a different fashion.

Gripping the door knob with both hands she rattled it vigorously. _Where is Hamilton and those blasted milk and cookies!? _she thought. Then froze. _It's Hamilton! It has to be him! He set me up! _She slammed her fist against the door furiously. _This is just the sort of sneaky thing he would do! Of course I could handle any of Gill's antics, but Hamilton….!? Gill probably isn't even sick! _

It's a sad day when you realize it's not the ogre you need to worry about, but the ogre's father.

Cursing under her breath she gripped the door knob again and mounted one hiking boot clad foot against the door tugging with every ounce of strength in her. "I don't care what you _do_ Hamilton…" she spat. "But I am _not_ falling in…" Tug. "love" Tug. "with" Tug. "your…" Tug. "SON!"

With that last effort something finally gave…unfortunately it wasn't the door but the door knob. It flew right out of her hand and hit the back wall as she also flew backwards tripping over another one of Gill's stupid loafers and landing, thankfully, on Gill's bed.

No, wait! Not thankfully!

She scrambled madly to get out of the bed, but to her horror she found herself tangled in the sheets along with the sleeping ogre! Desperately trying to free herself, she let out a gasp of surprise as a pale arm circled around her waist and pinned her to the bed. She was terrified to move now and went completely still. _Oh….this isn't good.. _she thought with eyes closed tight. _But wait! He is still asleep right? This is my chance to sneak away! _She spied out of one partly opened eye to see that his face was a shocking inch away from her own, but sure enough, he was still asleep.

Her stomach was making those weird twisting feelings again as she pried her eyes away from his face and gripped his arm that held her waist, ready to quickly slide it away. And yet for some unknown reason she decided to steal one last look at the beautiful Gill, not the horrible, mean, stuck-up, infuriating, pompous Gill, but _this_ Gill. After all, she probably would never see this Gill again. Maybe one day she will be able to finally get along with the ogre Gill if she could remember the harmless Gill she had seen today.

Naw! Who was she kidding, that would never happen!

While staring at his sleeping face it suddenly hit her that she had been making all that noise trying to open the door and he had slept right through it. "Wow…" she said almost too quietly to be a whisper, "you sure are a deep sleeper."

Just then his eyes snapped open.

Her blood ran cold, her eyes locked with the ocean orbs. _This cant be happening…._she pleaded in her head.

"A-Akari…?" Slurred a sleepy Gill. "What are you doing…in my bed…?"

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Meanwhile, downstairs, Hamilton was enjoying a glass of milk with cookies. He noted when the loud banging on the door finally stopped and laughed maniacally.

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**Um…so tell me what you think. I had tons of fun writing this chapter and making Elli evil, honestly didn't expect that one coming. And Hamilton….really, I'm pretty sure what you are doing is illegal….**

**Reviews are like candy! And I love candy!**


	10. Surprise Attack

**Part 10! Enjoy and Review!**

This means WAR!

Surprise Attack!?

*recap*

_Just then his eyes snapped open._

_Her blood ran cold, her eyes locked with the ocean orbs. This cant be happening….she pleaded in her head._

"_A-Akari…?" Slurred a sleepy Gill. "What are you doing…in my bed…?"_

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Heh,heh….funny story actually…." Akai muttered scratching her head with her index finger.

His eyes suddenly widened and in took his scantily clad body. "Were you trying to take advantage of me!?"

"Ew! No!" She gasped while he shoved her roughly away from him, causing her to topple onto the floor. He pulled the sheet up to his chest and turned his back on her.

"Look, Gill! It's all just a big misunderstanding!" She exclaimed from her place on the floor, rubbing her sore bottom. "I heard you were sick, and I'm pretty sure I was conned into coming here for a visit cause when I walked in… the door was locked behind me! So then I was trying to get out, but the door knob came off in my hand, and well….WAIT! Are you _blushing_!?"

"NO!" He snapped shoving his face into his pillow.

"Yes you are!" She laughed, flinging an accusing finger at him. "I saw it! You _actually_ are blushing!"

"Nawo hime nawt!" Came the muffled shout from the pillow.

"Oh, come on now!" She said giddily walking over to the side of the bed on her knees. "Why are you blushing?" She grabbed the pillow and tried to pull it out from under him but frowned when she saw he was holding onto it too.

"Shtop hit!" He yelled desperately trying to hold the pillow still. "Leaf me halone!"

"Um, I cant. The door is still locked, dummy. And now it doesn't even have a door knob." She gave another hearty tug on the pillow.

"Gyo haway!"

"Sheesh! Your resisting is making me only want to see it more! Come on, why are you blushing?" She teased. "Did I make you….nervous!?"

His head shot up and yelled, "No!" right in her face at the exact moment she pulled the pillow out from under him. His hands still held the pillow tightly, so when she pulled the pillow she pulled him as well. With a loud BANG! Both of them hit the floor and groaned. "Your fwoor ish swo hawd…" Akari complained from beneath the pillow that now covered her face. The thought suddenly entered her mind that Gill might drool in his sleep so she threw the pillow across the room in disgust.

Then instantly wished she hadn't.

Gill was hunched over her, a slender muscular arm was on either side of her head, and his deep blue eyes seemed to paralyze her. "What a horrible day…"She mumbled under her breath.

"You're blushing." He said matter-of-factly with a very self-satisfied smirk. Her hands flew to cover her blazing cheeks, and not wanting to lose the battle, she said, "So are you!" Even though he wasn't. But as if on cue, a rosy glow suddenly rushed to his cheeks. The smirk disappeared and his mouth became a slight pout, but his eyes still remained locked with hers.

"Heh, heh…_cute_." She said sarcastically grinning wickedly up at the pouting ogre. Then her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as his head dipped down and his lips met with hers. The knots erupted inside her stomach setting her heart to beat frantically inside her chest. _This cant be happening! _she screamed inside her head as he continued to kiss her forcefully. And then to her utter astonishment, she began to enjoy it! _That is enough! _Finally he started to let up and she shoved him off of her with all her might. Sliding across the floor until her back was up against a wall she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and exclaimed, "What's wrong with you!? What do you think you are doing!?"

His face was the shade of one of his beloved tomatoes as he stuttered out, "I-I don't know…" His answer to both of her questions.

"You don't know? You don't _know!?" _She raved. "How can you not _know!?"_

"I don't know…" was all he could say, just as confused as she was.

"Are you even sick!?" She spat.

He shook his head slowly. "No, my father just told me to stay home today and when I objected he locked the door and threatened to ship me out of the country. I figured one day off couldn't hurt…"

"So you aren't even sick…" At least she didn't have to worry about catching a cold from him now. "That's it!" She spat, throwing her arms up in the air and getting to her feet. "I'm getting out of here this instant! Even if I have to break that stupid door down!!"

"Why don't you try the window?" Gill mumbled from his spot on the floor.

Akari slapped herself in the head mentally and charged toward the window opening it easily. _Why didn't I think to try this sooner, I could have avoided that entire situation…. _She had one leg dangling through the window, mumbling obscenities and ways in which she could murder Gill when she heard him call her name.

"Hey, Akari." He said, his back to her. She glanced over her shoulder only able to see half of his face. "Did I….make you nervous…?"

She could just picture the smug expression on his face and it made her feel like throwing up. "Why don't you dig yourself a hole and go DIE!?" She exclaimed before disappearing through the window and into the branches of a nearby tree.

He sat in the middle of the floor running his fingers through his hair. Then, he reached up to his bed where he grabbed his sheet and wrapped it around himself, making sure to cover his head from that annoying light that filled the room. Curling up on the floor he wished for sleep to come and prayed that what had just happened was a nightmare.

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Akari was spitting bullets by the time she made it to the bar where Chihaya was happily humming and handed her a glass of lemonade with a grin. That did not help her mood one bit. She slammed her fist against the counter making the ice cubes inside the lemonade jump.

"Whooow….what's buggin' ya?" Chihaya said leaning on the counter across from her.

"You don't wanna know…." She muttered bitterly.

"Come on, you can tell me anything." He said encouragingly.

"No. You _really _don't want to know."

He scanned her up and down with his violet eyes, cupped his hand against his cheek, and made a show of whispering, "Is it that time of the month…?"

She slammed the counter again but this time with her foot.

"Okay, okay, not that…." He said backing away slowly. "Well if you don't tell me what's wrong, how do you expect me to help you?"

She ran her fingers through her hair then said, "Look, all I need is the name of a good hit man." He leaned back on the counter smiling at her while she continued her list of demands. "It's gotta be quick, its gotta be clean….I want it to look like the sucker just keeled over suddenly. But most importantly, I don't want to get caught up in it. It's incriminating just talking to you about it!" Then she sighed and took a sip of her lemonade.

"Gill, huh?" Chihaya guessed. "Too bad I don't know very many hit men. Would an assassin work?"

"No, no." She shook her head. "Assassins are too showy. Plus, they cost too much. I'm practically broke." She hopped down from the stool and placed her money for the drink on the counter. "Thanks anyway."

"Sorry I couldn't help." He said pushing her money back into her hand, insisting that she take it. She of course refused at first until he smiled at her in a way that said _just take it. _She walked toward the door and he called after her. "Aren't we meeting later to come up with ogre hunting plans?"

"Yeah sure." She said absentmindedly, turning to look at him over her shoulder. "Just come over to my house after you are done with work."

He smiled. "Where ya going?"

"Oh, just for a walk…I need to clear my head." She left the bar and leaned up against the door. How she wanted to tell him what was bothering her. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't tell anyone. It was just so, so….unbelievable that even now she wondered if it really happened. What could have possessed him to do that? She didn't know. She honestly didn't want to know, but she needed to. She had the tiniest suspicion that maybe that kiss had been one of his pranks in their war. But how cruel and low is that to kiss somebody as a prank!? But what peeved her more, was thinking of him kissing her and meaning for it to be a prank. And then that thought ticked her off all together.

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Gill woke up to his father bellowing. "Where the heck did she go!?" Hamilton yelled, checking behind the door and under the bed for the elusive brunette. "And what are you doing sleeping on the floor!?" Gill frowned into his arm that was cradling his head. _Why am I on the floor?_

_Stupid. Don't you remember what you have done? (Shoulder Devil)_

_No…should I remember something…? (Regular Gill)_

_Um, yeah. You kind of kissed the crap out of poor unsuspecting Akari! (Shoulder Angel)_

_I did…what? (Regular Gill)_

_You kissed your sworn enemy!!!! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Wait that wasn't a dream!? (Regular Gill)_

_NO! (Shoulder Angel and Devil simultaneously)_

Gill flung the sheet away and pushed past his bemused father to his dresser and quickly pulled on some clothes. "That's right, my Gilly." Laughed a happy Hamilton. "Go find your _woman_!"

"Yeah, I'm going to find her, and then I'm going to kill her!" Barked the angry blond as he hopped around on one foot trying to pull his sock on. "Wait…kill her…?" Hamilton asked, completely confused.

"Yes, I'm going to kill her! She seduced me!!!!!" He ranted, throwing his arms up in the air. There was no other way to explain his actions. She had to have had seduced him.

"That's great!" His father exclaimed, wrapping his son up in a hug, only to be pushed away as Gill searched the floor madly. "Where are my stupid loafers!?"

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**Oh my! **

**She thinks it was a prank and he thinks she has seduced him!**

**What's gunna happen next!?**

**ReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReview!!!!!**


	11. The Chase

**Part 11!**

This Means WAR!

The Chase

Akari didn't like the way this day was turning out. Still in a horrible ticked off mood she made her way to the carpentry shop in search of Luke who was just the person to cheer her up. Regardless of the fact he had been used as one of Gill's pawns and thus betrayed her. Unfortunately when she got there the bandana clad boy was nowhere in sight. Dale appeared upon hearing the door chime and smiled at the girl who was frowning furiously.

"What can I do for ya Akari?" He asked as he slipped his hands out of his rough gloves.

"Oh, nothing." She said with a sigh. "I was just hoping to talk to Luke is all."

"Well he went out a while ago to chop some wood for me. I'm sure he's not far off."

"Okay, thanks Dale." Akari said turning back towards the door. "I'll go look for him."

"Hold on." Dale said placing a hand on her shoulder. "Gill just came in here a few minutes ago looking for you…He seemed pretty upset." Akari's eyes widened.

_He's upset!? What the heck for!? I'm the one who is upset!! _Akari thought bitterly, unable to hide the look of disgust that washed across her face.

Dale continued, "Now I've noticed the two of you don't particularly get along…"

_That's an understatement…_

"But I've never seen him so worked up over something. And I've seen him worked up over a _lot_ of things!" He said chuckling. "Like the time Luke ran into him and spilled the tomato juice he was drinking all down the front of his brand new sweater vest! Boy, that was a classic!" He bellowed, slapping her heartily on the back. "He was spittin' hell fire at Luke for weeks! Or the time Luke called him feminine!" He had to hold his sides to keep from laughing and even Akari had to crack a smile at the image in her head of a pissed off Gill.

"As I was saying…" Dale said wiping the tears from his eyes and pulling together a more serious expression. "Gill is _mad_. Hella pissed, if you ask me. And I don't know what you've done to get him like that, but I advise you keep away from him." Akari smirked.

"I can handle him. I'm not _afraid_."

Dale sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you… Like I said, I've never seen him this mad, not in my entire life. Looks as though he wants to kill somebody…."

She rolled her eyes. "It's just _Gill_. He cant do anything to me."

---

She was allowed to leave the carpenters shop only after promising Dale that she would be careful. _Sheesh, you would think Gill was a mass murderer the way Dale was cautioning me._ She thought as she walked down the road. _It's just stupid Gill. Stupid, cocky, infuriating Gill who steals kisses from the unsuspecting. _She scraped her foot across the dirt and kicked a rock with the tip of her boot. It sailed up into the air and landed with a loud 'OW!' in some bushes. She paused. Bushes don't say 'Ow'….

A shock of blue hair appeared from the bush, followed by a pair of cat-like golden eyes. Catching sight of her, Luke put his gloved hand up to his cheek and went, "Psssst!" She looked to her right slowly and then her left. _Is he talking to me?_

"PSSSSST!!!" It came again more urgently this time. She looked at him and raised her eyebrow as he frantically waved her over to the bush. She sighed but walked over and knelt down beside his hideout. "What is it?" She said, not trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. He looked over his shoulder as if worried someone was trying to listen in. "Hurry and get in here with me!" He said in a loud whisper. "It's not safe out there unprotected!"

"Not safe from what?" She asked irritably.

"From…." Another cautious look over his shoulder. "_Gill_!!"

"Oh jeez…." she shook her head. "Not you too…"

He retracted his head back into the bush until only his eyes were showing. "No I'm serious! I've never seen him this mad since I told him he looked like a girl!"

"So you think a bush will protect you from homicidal Gill?" She asked skeptically.

"It's safer than just hanging out in the _open_!" He exclaimed defensively. "Besides it's not me I'm worried about, it's you! I think he wants to _kill_ you!"

"And what gave you _that_ idea…?"

"Um, probably when he walked by saying, 'Akari….Akari….I'm going to kill Akari…." Luke stuck his head out again. "Luckily I jumped into this bush before he could take his anger out on me."

_So Gill came by here too….creepy. _She got to her feet and looked around as if he could have been right there leaning up against a tree. The sun hung low in the sky, soon it would be nightfall and Chihaya would be awaiting her at her house, but that wasn't a safe place right now. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea that I avoid him for the time being…" She mumbled more to herself then the boy in the bush. Then she started walking off in the direction she came, wondering where she could go to avoid running into the ogre. "Wait!" Yelled Luke from his hiding place. "It's not safe! Hurry and come hide in the bush! Akari! Akari!!!" She glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Remind me later to ask you about the time you told Gill he looked like a girl. That sounds like a great story." And with that she disappeared down the road.

---

_Bwahaha! We're going to find her! We're going to KILL her! This is great! (Shoulder Devil)_

_This is NOT great! This is horrible! What do you think you are doing!? You're not REALLY going to kill her!_ _You can't! (Shoulder Angel)_

_Hear that? Pretty boy here doesn't think you can do it! Well we will prove him wrong! (Shoulder Devil)_

"Would you shut up!? I'm not really going to _kill_ her! It's just an expression! I'm going to _metaphorically_ kill her!" Gill spat at his inner voices. (no he is not crazy…well, maybe not.) It just so happens Annisa was walking opposite him on the road and upon hearing him yelling at himself and seeing the bloodthirsty look in his eye, she quickly skipped away.

_Not going to kill her, you say? Metaphorically, you say? She seduced you! She tricked you! (Shoulder Devil)_

_No she didn't! It's not her doing. Akari is too nice of a person to purposefully trick you like that. Maybe it was just your hidden emotions acting out? (Shoulder Angel)_

_That's ridiculous! (Shoulder Devil and Regular Gill simultaneously) _Gill remembered to not talk to his voices out loud this time.

_I've had enough of both of you! Now go away immediately, I need to concentrate. (Regular Gill)_

_Fine! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Okay….just don't do something you will regret…" (Shoulder Angel)_

Finally he was alone with his own thoughts and that almost scared him. What had she done to him? When did she do it? It was as if in that moment when he kissed her all logic left him and he was left with an overpowering emotion with no name that took control. Never before had that emotion come upon him, and since it was Akari who brought that feeling to the surface it only made sense that it was her fault. She had seduced him.

Now he was searching for her wildly as if everything depended upon him confronting her and accusing her of the horrible deed she had done to him. Only then could he go back to his happy lifestyle of ignoring everyone. But he couldn't find her. And every time he looked into a shop or a house in hope that she would be there only made him angrier.

---

Akari was hiding behind the counter in the fishing shop. It had been nearly impossible to convince the owner, Ozzie, to let her but finally succeeded when she told him it was a matter of life or death. She was pretty proud of herself for picking such a great hiding place too, I mean who would think of looking for her here!? She hated fishing! And she had made that perfectly evident every single time Toby came up to her asking if she wanted to go fishing with him. And every single time he asked she would give him the same speech about how boring she thought it was. So she had been sitting behind the counter for the past half hour picking the bits of dead leaves off the bottoms of her boots, watching Ozzie organize his lures by color and size and thinking she was safe. _Ten times safer than Luke is in his dinky bush! _She thought happily.

Just then the chime above the door signaled someone entering the shop. _It's probably just Toby. _She thought confidently.

"Why, hello Gill!" Ozzie said cheerily. "Sure don't see you coming in here often."

Akari felt all the blood drain from her face. _Why does it seem the person you are trying to avoid always shows up when you really don't want them to!? _She cried inside her headasaneerie silence filled the shop.

"Is there something I could help you with….?" Ozzie asked his customer with the slightest bit of worry ringing in his voice. Akari quickly looked up at the shop owner's face and was stunned to see a look of horror there. _Oh crap! Is Gill that scary!?_

"Akari…" She heard her name said by a icy voice. She held her breath worried that he would know she was there if he could hear her breathing. "Do you know were Akari is?"

Ozzie looked down at her as if waiting for his line. She waved her hands in front of her face, shook her head and mouthed 'I'm not here!'

"I haven't seen her." Ozzie said, letting Akari sigh with relief. "You know how she doesn't like fishing. The only time I see her is when she is at the bar with Chihaya. Why don't you check there." Akari could have kissed him for not ratting her out, apparently he realized her situation really was a matter of life or death.

"Hmmm…maybe." She heard Gill say. "You don't mind if I take a look around first do you?"

_He didn't buy it! He KNOWS!_

"Why would you want to do that?" Ozzie asked quietly.

"I've been thinking about taking up fishing…"

_Liar!!!!_

"Oh? Go right ahead then…" Ozzie's face fell. Akari buried her face in her arms awaiting her impending doom. _This sucks! This sucks so bad! _

The tip of her boot was nudged gently by Ozzie's shoe. She looked up and saw his finger pointed toward the door then he glanced at her and mouthed 'GO!' She didn't need to be told twice.

She leaped to her feet, hoping and praying Gill's back was turned as she vaulted over the counter and sped out the door. She was running faster than she had ever ran in her entire life, adrenalin pumping through her blood, her heartbeat echoing in her ears, and the wind rushing through her hair as she ran into the night. A second later she knew he was behind her. His footfalls were loud and unsteady. She could easily outrun him.

"Akari!" He growled like a wild animal. "Stop running!"

"Um. No thanks!" She called over her shoulder as she kicked up her speed even more.

"It's useless! I'm going to kill you!"

"Psh! Yeah right!" She gave herself one more boost of speed and then suddenly tripped over a rock, falling head first into a bush. She suppressed her need to yelp in pain as something sharp stabbed her leg, and held perfectly still

A second later she saw him jog by and for a heart stopping moment she thought he was going to stop, but he just turned and went a different direction. _Maybe there is some method to Luke's madness…..No! He just got lucky being right about how bushes were good hideouts. _Deciding to wait just a little longer to be on the safe side, she wiggled around uncomfortably in her bush, rubbing her throbbing leg. _Why does he want to kill me? What did I ever do to him? Well….besides torture him daily and play merciless pranks on him….but still, he couldn't have just suddenly snapped…could he?_

---

_Gah! I was so close! So close!!!! _Gill thought as he wandered around realizing he had completely lost her. He fell into a squatting position and ran his fingers through his hair. Boy, was she fast. He couldn't think of anywhere else to look and so he decided to start backtracking. And this time he was going to catch her!

---

"Hey Akari, bet you're having a fun day." Came the sarcastic remark from the little girl with the pigtails as Akari walked into the tailor's shop.

"Oh yes, loads of fun…" Akari replied with just as much sarcasm.

Luna grinned and jumped off the counter she had been sitting on and walked up to inspect Akari for damages. "Looks like he hasn't killed you yet…" she said almost disappointedly. Candace came in from a back room and gasped, "Akari! I was so worried!"

"So I assume he has come through here already….you don't mind if I,….hide here for a while do you?" Akari asked looking from one sister to the other.

"No, go right ahead." Candace squeaked.

"As long as you don't bring the wrath of Gill along with you." Luna piped in.

"No promises." Akari admitted with a weak smile. "I seriously don't know what I've done to the guy to send him off his rocker. I mean, he has _really_ lost it…"

"I know." Luna said springing back up onto her perch on the counter and swinging her legs contently. "When he came barging in here earlier he said you _seduced_ him."

Akari must have not heard that right. "Come again?" She asked turning her ear so as to hear better.

"You se-_duced_ him." She said emphasizing the last part.

"WHAT!?"

"Are you deaf or something?" Lena asked folding her arms in annoyance.

"No….It's just that's….that's…._so_ ridiculous!" Akari spat, her eyes rolling as she held her head with one hand to steady herself as the room began to spin.

"That's what I said." Luna said with a shrug. "I mean, of all people who would want to seduce _him_…?"

"Exactly!" Akari gasped finding herself in a heap on a wooden chair.

"…And honestly, I don't think you could seduce anyone if you tried…" Luna added with just the slightest amount of venom in her dainty voice.

Akari's eyes narrowed as she sized up the shorter girl. "I'll have you know I can be an amazing seducer when I want to be."

"Oh yeah?" Luna said skeptically.

"Yeah!" Akari exclaimed.

"So you decided to seduce Gill…?" She put one delicate finger to her chin and looked down at Akari over her little nose.

"_NO_!!!!" Akari howled throwing her hands up into the air. "That's just….sick." And suddenly the image of Gill leaning down to kiss her flooded her mind making chills run down her spine. But it was the good kind of chills…. "Oh! I hate today!" She shrieked covering her face with her hands.

Luna smirked, then Candace appeared near Akari's elbow and said, "I actually think the two of you would make a cute couple…"

"What!? No!" Akari bellowed at the same time Luna started cackling.

"No think about it." She said tucking a long strand of blue hair behind her ear and spoke more than all the times Akari heard her speak added together. "You compliment each other. You both have a rough side, and that's good because neither of you would become dominant or submissive, you balance each other. And also, Akari, there is a lot of good in you. You have qualities that Gill never took the time to learn, such as being a good friend. By being with you he would learn from you and that way the good parts in him would become more evident." She suddenly became nervous as the other two just stared at her, listening intently. "I-I've already s-seen a change in him…since you f-first came here, I-I mean."

Akari just tipped her head to the size quizzically.

"He says sorry."

"Sorry….?" Akari mumbled while Luna chuckled doubtfully.

"Well, Akari." Luna said with a 'there you have it' attitude. "Should we pick a wedding date?"

---

Gill's stomach gave a growl. He was starving. Having realized he had gone the entire day without his usual tomato juice pick me up, he became even angrier and his intentions toward Akari even more murderous. If she would just not have seduced him then he wouldn't have to be running around Waffle Town trying to find her and thus would be home right now enjoying a good book with a full stomach. But _NO_! He was wandering around in the dark searching for the stupid farmer! His stomach growled again in warning to him. _Fine! _He thought bitterly. _One more shop and then its time for dinner._

So he walked briskly to Candace and Luna's shop and pushed the door open with one hand gripping his stomach and a terrible grimace over his face.

"We are not harboring the criminal know as Akari, okay?" The shrill voice of Luna rang into his ears. "Besides, we are _closed_. And I would appreciate it if you would get out of here."

"Luna, don't say that." Candace said softly chastising her sister. "She didn't mean that, you can stay. Do you need anything in particular?"

"I need to find Akari." he said as his stomach gurgled again.

Luna's head perked up at the tone of his voice. He didn't sound demanding anymore, in fact quite the opposite, he sounded like he was pleading. "I told you, she's not here…." She said, watching him intently for his reaction.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Well okay then, I'm sorry to bother you." Then he took a step back and opened the door. _Now what should I make for dinner…? _He thought absentmindedly.

"Wait!" Luna exclaimed one arm stretched out to him. "Did you just say 'sorry'!?"

Gill's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Yes?"

"I told you." Candace said grinning at her sister.

Luna shook her head in disbelief, her eyes wide. Now Gill was totally lost. Had he missed something?

"She's back there." Luna said shifting her eyes to the back of the room.

Gill followed her gaze and saw Akari's head pop up suddenly. "_Luna" _She said incredulously. Then her eyes locked on him and he felt his stomach do a summersault. There it was, the beginnings of her seduction. But now he had finally caught her and could call her out on what she had done. _And then eat!_

A slow smile spread across his face until it was an evil grin.

Worry flashed across her eyes. He was blocking the door, she couldn't escape. There was no hope.

He crossed the distance between them with long strides, snatched her roughly by the wrist, and pulled her outside after him. All the while she shouted threats to him as well as Luna.

After the door shut behind them and Akari's curses faded away like fog, Candace turned to her sister and asked uncertainly, "Did we do the right thing…?"

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**There you have it! **

**Please tell me what you think of this chapter! Reviews give me inspiration and help fuel me to write the next part faster! So they really help! Thanks everyone! **


	12. Realization

**Part 12!**

**Thank you so much to all my wonderful reviewers! You have no idea how much I appreciate your comments! I really look forward to reading them so please keep it up! **

**Enjoy!!**

This Means WAR!

Realization

She couldn't believe it! Luna betrayed her! Of all people she thought Luna would be the one to stick up for her, after all she hated Gill just as much as Akari did. But _No_! She had given her up the second Gill had said 'sorry'! What did it matter if Gill said sorry or not!?

She dug her heels into the ground as Gill continued to pull her in his wake. He hadn't said a word to her and she couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Probably a bad thing.

Suddenly noticing his grip on her wrist loosened a tiny bit, she took advantage of it and wrenched her hand free. He whipped around, glaring at her and tried to catch her wrist again. She swung her hands behind her back and stepped forward with a stomp. "I'm not a dog!" She hissed in his face. He raised an eyebrow but didn't try to grab her again. He just stood his ground and stared at her, so she did the same.

They were standing outside of the bar. His face was hidden in shadow but she could make out the daggers he was sending her and the way his lips were curled into a tightlipped frown. The moonlight reflected off of his blond head making it seem white and ethereal, as the crickets chirped contently around them. His ocean blue eyes were locked with hers, and she found she couldn't move even if she wanted to. How did he have this power over her? This ability to stop her with only his eyes….it was…unnerving.

"What's wrong with you!?" She finally spat. "You come tearing through Waffle Town to get me? And for what? So you can accuse me of _seducing_ you!?" His eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah, yeah… Luna told me." She said batting the air with her hand. "But what I cant believe is that you actually believe that! I mean, aren't you supposed to be smart or something…?"

Gill ground his teeth together, his anger bubbled inside of him like molten lava.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought the kiss was a prank at first." She admitted in a quiet voice with a shrug. "I thought you were trying to get back at me for one of the pranks I pulled on you…but that doesn't make sense now. Especially since you have been parading around telling everyone you are going to _kill_ me!" She sighed. "You really can't be subtle can you?"

"Witch." His voice came out cold and slow making chills go up her spine. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" She asked baffled, thrown off at being called a witch.

"You know very well what you did!" He spat stepping forward angrily.

"No really, I have no clue…." She mumbled scratching her head absentmindedly.

"You _seduced_ me!" He said the word as if it was poison dripping from his lips.

"Oh, you're still going off on that? I already told you--"

"Just admit it!" His fists were clenched at his sides, his legs apart in a stance that would have made Luke pee his pants. And yet, Akari here was completely unaffected. This irked him.

"That's ridiculous." She scoffed folding her arms across her chest. Then she raised an eyebrow and looked up at him cynically. "Apparently you aren't as smart as you're supposed to be. You _actually_ think I would _actually_ want to seduce _you_!?" Her hair bounced as she shook her head. "You're giving yourself too much credit. There is nothing good about you. You're not nice, funny, or friendly. Nobody likes you, not even your own dad!" Gill glowered at her as she continued. "So while you're over there blaming me for something as idiotic as seducing you, why don't you sort out the facts; we _hate_ each other. And when you kissed me I pushed you away in _disgust_!" Her words were slathered in venom as she threw them at him.

It was quiet. All that could be heard was the chirping crickets and Akari's haggard breathing. Gill was motionless, his face suddenly void of all emotion as he stared at her, his eyes lonesome twin pools. She felt a terrible pang rip through her as guilt welded itself around her heart. _I was too harsh…_She thought lowering her eyes in shame. _I should apologize…somehow…_

"Look, Gill…" She mumbled weakly with her eyes still on the ground. "I didn't m--" Her words were suffocated as soft warm lips collided against her own. Her eyes shot up, her arms flailing, as Gill held her face with both of his hands, his eyes closed. _What's happening!? _She thought with horror as her whole body seemed to tingle at his touch and liquid fire burned her blood. One of his hands dropped to her waist, pulling her closer to him. Her heart was racing wildly inside her chest. This needed to stop right now before she did something she would regret. Her hand shot up.

There was a loud CRACK as the flat of her palm slammed against his cheek. She inhaled sharply, stumbling away from him, afraid of what he may do. His face frozen at impact, his blond locks a heavy fringe over his eyes, his lips parted slightly as blood pooled at the corner of his mouth and dribbled down his chin. He tested the spot gingerly with his index finger.

"Dang it Gill! Would you stop stealing my kisses!" She yelled at him, her hands balled into fists.

"G-Got you…" He choked out, and then she noticed the way his body was shaking. He was laughing! He _actually_ was laughing at her!!!

"Huh!?" She gasped, her jaw dropping in shock.

He stretched to his full height and tipped his head smugly. A wicked grin claiming his handsome face. "Were you disgusted?" He asked in a falsely sweet voice.

Akari felt her cheeks suddenly get hot. _Crap. I'm blushing. Why am I BLUSHING!?_ She stepped forward, her fists held close to her body. "Yes!" She spat.

"Then why did you melt into my arms?" He stuck his jaw out arrogantly. "With reactions like that I would have sworn you were enjoying it."

"Oh yeah, I enjoyed it so much I wanted to slap you!? Holy crap, you're an idiot!" She swiveled on her heel and started to walk away.

"You know what you taste like?" Came Gill's smooth voice from behind her making her stop in her tracks. "You taste bitter. Like bile." Her fist flew towards his pretty face but this time he caught it and wrenched her toward him, planting a peck on her cheek. "And your skin is rough and cracked like a desert." He whispered into her ear.

She pulled herself away from him roughly glaring at him with all her anger and all the hurt that was welling inside her. Choosing to speak with her actions rather than her words she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, enjoying the look of utter shock on his face. At the same moment she kneed him in the groin all in one fluid motion. His lips fell from hers in a loud SMACK that quickly turned into a groan as he crumpled helplessly to the ground. Again he was staring up at Akari from the flat of his back just like the day they first met.

She turned and walked away.

---

Chihaya looked up from his position on Akari's doorstep. He was starting to get worried. Where was she? She had promised to meet him here, she couldn't have forgotten, could she? He ran his fingers through his peach colored hair with a sigh. _If she doesn't show up within the next ten minutes I'm going to go looking for her. _

Just then he heard the sound of boots shuffling against the dirt road. Leaping to his feet he saw Akari teetering toward him as if on puppet strings. _Something is wrong._ He felt it in his bones. He ran to her but she wasn't even aware he was there until he touched her shoulder gently. "Oh hey, Chihaya…sorry to make you wait…"

"Don't worry about it, I just wanted to make sure you are okay." She turned away from him seemingly distracted by her own thoughts. "So, _are_ you okay?" He asked, worry ringing in his voice.

"Yes." She said finally meeting his gaze. "I will be okay."

"Tell me what happened." He urged.

"You don't want to know, trust me." She said with a slight shake of her head. There was a small smile on her lips, reassuring him that she really was okay.

"That's the second time you've said that to me today, will you really not tell me what's going on? We are partners in crime! You can trust me with anything and everything!"

She gave a real smile to him now. "Alright. But just so you know, it's been a _horrible_ day."

---

_How dare that little witch go for such a cheap shot! _Gill thought bitterly. _Then she just walks away while I'm writhing in pain!? _Gill was walking home, his thoughts scattered, his stomach yelling at him, a hitch in his giddy up…

_Idiot. What did you do? (Shoulder Devil)_

_I thought I told you to not bother me. (Regular Gill)_

_We are the voices of reason, when you completely ignore reason we have no choice but to chastise you. (Shoulder Angel)_

_Oh yippie…(Regular Gill)_

_You've brought this upon yourself. (Shoulder Angel)_

_Stop ignoring me! I SAID, what the HELL did you think you were doing!? (Shoulder Devil)_

_What exactly are you referring to? (Regular Gill)_

_Don't get smart with me! You lied to her! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Since when did you get a conscious? (Regular Gill)_

_Idiot! I AM your conscious! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Well then aren't you supposed to be the evil one!? (Regular Gill)_

_Yes! Until the person I am being a conscious for becomes more heartless then me! (Shoulder Devil)_

_You've screwed up big time. (Shoulder Angel)_

_I don't understand what the big deal is? She originally thought I kissed her as a prank and so I figured it wouldn't be too bad if I went along with that. That way I don't look like such an idiot for believing she seduced me. (Regular Gill) _

_Gah! You're hopeless! (Shoulder Devil)_

_What do you mean? Was that not a good idea? (Regular Gill)_

_Good idea!? NO! It was a horrible idea! Now you don't stand a chance with her! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Stand a chance!? Isn't that the point? She makes me sick, I can't stand being near her! (Regular Gill)_

_Ah! You must be more blind than a bat if I can see what you are completely oblivious to! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Don't tell him, he needs to figure these sorts of things on his own! (Shoulder Angel) _

_Are you kidding!? At this rate he will never figure it out! (Shoulder Devil)_

_Then let me break it to him easily. (Shoulder Angel)_

_Tell me what? (Regular Gill)_

_Gill, honey, the reason you feel sick when Akari is around is because you are attracted to her. (Shoulder Angel)_

Gill stopped in his tracks.

_W-What!? (Regular Gill)_

_You LIKE her, idiot! (Shoulder Devil)_

_But that doesn't make sense! That's not logical! (Regular Gill)_

_Love hardly ever is logical…(Shoulder Angel)_

_No! This has to be a joke! (Regular Gill)_

_We don't kid, kid. That's why you kissed her that one time…You like her. And for a second there it almost seemed like she liked you too…that is until you BLEW IT! (Shoulder Devil)_

_I don't love her! I don't! (Regular Gill)_

_Yeah you do. Stop denying it. Think back to the moment she kissed you, that is, right before she kicked you where it counts…(Shoulder Angel)_

Gill closed his eyes imagining back to the moment after he had kissed her on the cheek. His lips still tingled. Akari glared up at him, her eyes filled with hatred and an undeniable amount of hurt at being tricked. He felt his stomach tighten. Then her arms flew up and latched around his neck. His eyes grew wide with shock then snapped closed as her sweet smelling breath consumed him and her deliciously soft lips pushed against his. It was as though electricity was flaring through his entire body through her lips. His arms ached to hold her closer to him, to never let her go. And then all too soon it ended. The euphoric feeling replaced by one of intense pain. He caught her eye one last time before she turned to leave and the look had scared him. Her eyes were cold.

Gill blinked back to the present. He was kneeling on the ground his home just a few steps away. "No…" he breathed.

_I'm afraid so…You've lost her. And just when you realized you wanted her too…that sucks… (Shoulder Angel)_

_I don't know what to do…(Regular Gill)_

_Nothing you can do, you're an idiot. Always will be. (Shoulder Devil)_

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Well, there you have it! **

**I had problems writing this chapter…couldn't quite decide the direction I wanted it to go….and ended up with this one. Please tell me what you think, likes, dislikes. **

**Reviewers will get candy!!!!**


	13. The Turning Point

**Part 13!**

**Thanks to all those who reviewed! (I'll admit I was a little worried there when nobody reviewed because of the funny glitch thing. Because I will honestly tell you, I was a little worried about that last chapter…this one is much lighter thankfully!)**

This means WAR!

The Turning Point

"Whoa, there Chi-chi…calm your jets…" Akari had just finished telling him about her day and could tell the boy sitting across from her was about to have a tizzy fit.

"He _kissed_ you!?" Chihaya cried in disbelief. "_Twice_!?"

"Yeah…" She said watching him closely. "No need to get all upset."

"Upset!? And then you _kissed_ him!?" The poor guy looked as though his head were about to roll.

"Yes…but only to throw him off as I inflicted horrific pain!" Her eyes glimmered at that last part.

"But you _kissed_ him!?" Chihaya wailed, hurt evident on his face and in his voice.

"Stop exclaiming in a question!" She spat at him a little too harshly. "I'm the one he kissed! And it was my first kiss too…"

"He stole your first kiss!?"

"Stop that! The point is, I should be the one who is upset!"

"Then why aren't you upset?" Chihaya finally asked in a normal question tone.

"Because I'm more mature than that…" She joked, not fooling anyone. "But if I catch that skinny ogre so much as look at me, I'm going to plow his face into the pavement!" There was a bloodthirsty glint in her eye that made Chihaya sit back contently. _That's the Akari I know and love. _He thought happily.

---

Gill woke up with a start and stared numbly at the two lumps of his feet at the bottom of his bed. The hairs went up on the back of his neck, he knew he was being watched.

"What do you want, father?" Gill asked coldly without looking up. Mayor Hamilton waddled out of the shadows and into the sunlight seeping through the window.

"You were gone a long time, Gill. I was worried."

Gill's brows furrowed as he remembered his ultimate blunder the night before. _I cant believe I was so cruel…_ He thought.

"So…" Continued the mayor, unaware of his son's discomfort. "How did it go?"

"Go?" Gill glanced up confused.

"Yes, go! Did you tell her how you feel?"

Gill shook his head, still rather confused.

"Well, that's your problem!" Hamilton announced. "She won't know unless you tell her!"

"Maybe its better that way…" Gill mused, wincing as he remembered the look in Akari's eye. "I'm pretty sure she would try and kill me if I told her."

Hamilton stared at his son in shock for a moment. He wasn't denying anything, he wasn't running away to hide behind some book, he was…different… "Wow, son." Hamilton shook his head. "You've got it bad…"

_You're telling me…._

"I don't understand you kids and your 'killing'…" The mayor went on. "Yesterday you go around saying you want to 'kill' her and now you say she wants to 'kill' you…" He smiled at his son. "The way I see it, she feels the same way about you."

Gill shook his head. "No, I'm thinking she would _really_ kill me." He sighed and looked out the window. _I was too late…_

"Don't give up so easily son!" Hamilton exclaimed slapping him on the back. "If I would have given up that easily then I _never_ would have married your mother!" Gill raised his eyebrows. "She didn't want anything to do with me in the beginning. But once I wore her down and scared away all the other men, she fell right into my arms!"

_Oh… that's comforting…._Gill thought. Father son bonding moment over!

---

Akari awoke to the shuffling of Chihaya as he was leaving. She had insisted he stay the night since their conversation had lasted into the wee hours of the morning. He was folding the blanket that he had used and put it on the couch, then just stood there staring off into space.

"You going to work?" She turned and smiled to her. "Yeah. Sorry if I woke you."

"No, it's fine. I need to get up anyway." She propped herself up on her elbows. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh no! Of course not, why would there be?" He exclaimed defensively.

"What is it?" She asked with a yawn, patting the end of her bed for him to sit down. He wrung his hands for a moment before complying.

"It's just…I can't stop thinking about what he did to you. It's horrible."

"I told you not to worry about it." She said rubbing sleep from her eyes. "You of all people shouldn't worry about it. _He_ should be worried about it. _He_ should be worried about what I will do about it!" She smiled at him. "Besides, there are worse things…for example, what I'm going to do to him which ends in an early grave!"

Chihaya laughed. "I'm glad I'm not him."

"Yes, be glad, Chihaya." She added dramatically. "Be very glad!"

---

Awhile later after Chihaya had left, Akari stared down at her plants in dismay. They _still_ hadn't given her any fruit! She rubbed her fingers through her hair trying to figure out what she was doing wrong. She always watered them so that wasn't it, she was even using fertilizer so that couldn't be it…what was it?

Just then a twig snapped and she whirled around to confront whoever was sneaking up on her. Little did she know _who_ she would be confronting.

"Gill!" She exclaimed as her heart leapt sickeningly, her face flashing instantly to menacing. "Get out of here!"

He took a step back hesitantly but kept his eyes locked with hers. _Why am I doing this to myself…?_ He thought. "Look, don't get mad." He said holding up his hands. "I'm not here to pick a fight."

"Then why _are_ you here, pray tell!" She hissed through gritted teeth. It took all her strength to stop herself from pummeling him right then and there.

"I'm here to… help…" He looked at her curiously.

Her anger faltered, he took advantage of it. "I want to help you on your farm." He continued with more courage. "It's the least I could do."

He screwed up right there. "The least you could do!?" She spat violently. "You're sick, you know that? I cant believe I--" Her eyes flickered away briefly. "Look, just get out of here before I do something I'll regret." And with that she turned her back on him, picked up her hoe and drove it into the soil with all her might as if to say, 'Hey, see that?

That's going to be you!'

Gill stood awkwardly behind her willing himself to come up with something to say that would make her stop looking at him with those scary eyes. He pursed his lips together determinedly and yelled, "You're a pretty good kisser!"

Needless to say that wasn't it, and she chased him off her farm with her hoe swinging frightfully close to his head.

---

After Akari and finished all her chores, she found herself at the bar with Chihaya placing a lemonade into her hands. "I'm going to kill him…" She hissed, squeezing the glass tightly.

Chihaya nearly dropped the glass he was drying. "Don't tell me Gill---" One look at her told him he did. "What did he do?"

"Well, first he said he wanted to help me…like he _pitied_ me!" She said bitterly.

"What?" Chihaya said in disbelief.

She nodded. "Then he told me I was a good kisser."

Chihaya's face flushed red quickly, but he turned away from her before she could see. "He did what!?" He exclaimed with his back to her.

"I know! I find it incredible too!" She shrilled, throwing her hands in the air. "Not only is he twisted, but now he's lost his mind!"

"I know what will make you feel better!" Chihaya said, whipping back around. "Let's plan our next attack!"

She tipped her head to the side. "I guess…maybe that will work…"

Just then the bell above the door chimed, indicating a new customer, and as Chase lifted his eyes to see who it was his face paled. Akari took that as her cue to leap behind the counter and hide herself between some shelves. Chihaya looked down at her briefly before turning his attention to the young man who had just entered. "G-Gill…" Chihaya said scratching the back of his head casually. "Speak of the devil…" He muttered under his breath.

"Hey, Chihaya, how is your day?" Gill's smooth as silk voice came up over the counter to curl up in Akari's ear. She hunkered down tighter in a ball. Chihaya was silent for a moment. Not quite sure how to respond to Gill's uncharacteristic question.

"Um…fine." He finally settled on. "Can't complain…"

"Well, that's good." Gill said as he pulled himself into a seat. "Do you think you could get me a tomato juice, please?"

Chihaya was unsure again. If it hadn't been for the boy in front of him asking for tomato juice, he would have sworn it was a Gill impersonator. "S-Sure!" Chihaya finally said, busying himself with his job while stealing glanced at Akari who was burying her face in her knees. Oh was this déjà vu or what?

"Look Chihaya, you haven't seen Akari around have you?" Gill asked after Chihaya handed him his tomato juice in exchange for a few coins.

"N-No, not at all. Why do you ask?" Chihaya stumbled over his words.

"No reason." Gill said with a slight raise of his eyebrow. He sipped his juice contently while Chihaya fidgeted. What felt like a lifetime later Gill finally finished his drink. "Well, I ought to be going now…lots to do at Town Hall you know."

"Yeah, sure, whatever…" Chihaya muttered.

Gill nodded and got off the stool, he raised his hand in a wave and said, "Have a nice day."

"Yeah…nice day." Chihaya echoed weakly as Gill gave him one last confused look before exiting the building. Chihaya heaved a great sigh of relief then crouched down next to Akari on the floor. "I thought you said you were going to kill him."

She glanced at him sheepishly. "I will…just not right now. Nice Gill is scarier than mean Gill."

"I think your right…" Chihaya mused as another bell was sounded indicating another customer. "Oh, Luna!"

"Where is Akari, I _know_ she is here somewhere!" The little voice rang out through the building.

Akari popped her head up over the counter.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!" The short girl exclaimed. "Or rather, Candace knew it!"

"Knew what?" Akari and Chihaya asked at the same time.

"Oh, you don't know?" She asked.

"Know what!?" They repeated.

"Don't worry, you will soon enough." She shrugged then glided out the door. Akari and Chihaya had the chance to exchange bewildered looks before the bell rang again, this time Mayor Hamilton strut in as if he were the king of peacocks.

"Have you heard the news!?" He exclaimed.

Chihaya was the first to pull himself together. "No…"

"Well, of course _you_ have heard the news!" He said to Akari who just stared at him dumbfounded. "My Gilly is in _LOVE_!"

A painfully awkward silence followed that brash declaration.

"Isn't it marvelous!?" Hamilton urged.

"Y-Yes, of course…" Chihaya reassured him with a side glance at Akari. "Who is the _lucky_…girl?"

"Oh! _Chihaya!_ A suave and dashing man, such as yourself, must know one must not kiss and tell!"

Akari suddenly became nervous.

"Besides!" Hamilton continued. "I want my Gilly to announce it to everyone himself!"

"Then why are you here announcing it to us now?" Akari asked matter-of-factly.

Hamilton puckered his lips in a pout. "Well, he is my only son. You can't deny my being happy for him, can you!?" He spun on his heel and patted Akari affectionately on the cheek and gave her a wink before he twirled right out of the Inn.

"It's a comfort to know at least the mayor is acting normally." Chihaya said sarcastically.

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Akari smiled.

Alas, the bell rang once again and once again Chihaya's face paled. But this time Akari couldn't get to her hiding spot fast enough.

"Get him away from me or I'm going to pop his head off before he gets the chance to tell us the good news." She hissed under her breath to Chihaya as Gill called out, "Akari! Luna said you were here!"

_She betrayed me again!_

"What could you possibly want _now_, Gill?" Chihaya asked not trying to mask the annoyance from his voice.

Gill extended one pale finger at Akari who was tugging at a lock of hair nervously.

"Her!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Bwahahahahaha! Old habits die hard, eh? If you remember that is exactly how the first chapter ended, with Gill pointing to Akari! And well, I couldn't pass it up! I'm evil right?**

**I had much more fun writing this chapter than the last one…its not fun writing mean things…but then sometimes it totally is! haha!**

**Notice how the roles kind of change? And how Hamilton has a sane moment! Shocker! **

**Anywhoos! Please review!**


	14. Love is a Battlefield

Part 14

I would just like to say that I've never had so many people begging for an update! It's great that you all are so enthusiastic, I'm so glad when someone tells me they like what I write! Love it a lot! So please tell me what you think of this next chapter, because I totally am looking forward to it!

**This Means WAR!**

**Love is a Battlefield**

**It took a total of twenty seconds for Akari to realize what he just said. "Excuse me?" She asked, her hands dropping to her sides. **

**Gill looked innocently from Akari to Chihaya. "I want to talk to her…" His finger still lingered on Akari.**

**Chihaya stepped forward blocking Akari behind his tall frame. "I don't think so." He said to the blond. "Not after what you have already done to her."**

**Gill's eyebrows shot up. "That's why I **_**need **_**to talk to her." Chihaya didn't budge. Gill sighed and tried to lean around the peach haired boy to tell Akari, "Please meet me outside." Then he turned slowly and left out the door he just entered. **

**Chihaya turned and grabbed her by the shoulders roughly. "Look, he is out front, you can escape through the kitchen!" He started to lead her toward the kitchen but she planted her feet firmly on the ground with a frown. **

"**Look, Chihaya…" She said looking up into his eyes. "I know you want to protect me, and normally I would be all for running away from Gill…" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued. "But I need to know what it is he has to say. I need some answers." **

**He gazed down at her uncertainly but released his hold on her shoulders. "Alright, I wont stop you." He forced a smile to appear on his face. "But I'm going to watch from the window just to be safe." **

**She laughed at the concern on his face. "It's **_**just**_** Gill!" She exclaimed, completely forgetting the fact she just hid from him five minutes ago.**

**He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Exactly, that's what worries me…"**

**---**

**That morning before Gill ran out of his house determined he would set things right, his father stopped him in the hallway. **

"**Where are you going?" Hamilton asked.**

"**Ah…out." Gill mumbled, brushing past his father and scurrying down the stairs. **

"**Your not going to Akari's house are you?"**

"**No…"**

"**Well, you should!" Hamilton waddled down the stairs after his son. "Just imagine the surprise on her face when you appear on the horizon with the wind whipping majestically behind you. and you take her in your arms and declare your undying love for her!"**

"**Right…" Gill stopped at the door. "She would punch me again…"**

"**Stop that, son!" He slapped his belly then exclaimed, "We are young, heartache to heartache we stand, no promises, no demands. Love is a battlefield!" **

**Gill glanced over his shoulder, his eyes wide. "Wow…that was…poetic…"**

**The mayor slicked his hair back and grinned. "It's true! And you cant give up on her, not ever!" He slapped his son heartily on the shoulder. "She is your match!" **

"**My match?"**

"**Your sole mate!"**

"**Huh? How could you know…?"**

**Hamilton sighed. "I just know these things! Now go out there and don't come back until she has agreed to marry you!"**

**Gill froze. "Are you serious?" **

"**Fine! Then just confess your feelings if marriage is too soon!"**

"**Um…weren't you listening to me? She will **_**kill**_** me!"**

**In answer Hamilton shoved him out the door.**

**---**

**Now Gill stood outside the Inn, twiddling his thumbs while he waited for Akari to come outside. He was trying to figure out what he was going to say to her, but any situation he could come up with ended with him being punched. **

**The door of the inn opened and Akari slipped outside closing the door quietly behind her. **

"**Yes, Gill, what is it?" She said, annoyance ringing in her voice. **

**He spun around, and ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, h-hey, Akari!"**

**She raised an eyebrow, her lips a tight line. **

"**I…well, I…" He realized he was making himself look like an idiot and mentally smacked himself in the head. "I wanted to say…I'm sorry." She froze. "I'm sorry for,…for everything…" His voice died pitifully then as he caught sight of her frown.**

"**You're **_**sorry**_**!?" She spat. **

"**Now don't get mad!" He flung his hands up desperately in defense. "I am sincerely sorry! I know what I did was horrible and I don't blame you if you hate me…though I really wish you wouldn't…"**

"**What!?" She almost fell over at his last mumbled comment. "You wish I wouldn't hate you? Didn't we already decide that our hateful feelings were mutual?" She folded her arms and glared at him. "What do you mean?"**

"**Well…you see, the thing is--"**

"**Spit it out!"**

**He lost his nerve at the last second. "Forget it…I'm just sorry!" She suddenly came forward and slugged him on the shoulder. He was just relieved she hadn't decided to kick him again. **

"**You think you can manipulate me any way you want!?" She spat. "First you steal my first kiss--"**

"**That was your first kiss…?"**

"**Then you chase me around telling everyone you are going to kill me--"**

"**I can explain about that…"**

"**And then you kiss me **_**again**_**!--"**

"**That time…that time I was stupid." **

"**And then you tell me you were kissing me as a prank!--"**

"**I'm sorry!"**

"**Stop saying that!" She yelled into his face. "I know very well that you aren't sorry! You think you are going to trick me? But let me tell you, I am not so easily fooled!" She spun on her heel and headed back toward the inn but he leapt forward and grabbed her by the elbow. **

"**Let **_**go**_** of me!" She hissed. "Don't touch me!" **

**He released her but locked his eyes with hers, stopping her instantly. "Please believe me." He pleaded. "I never meant to hurt you--"**

"**Well, you did!" She confessed. "I don't know about you, but its not fun when someone toys with your emotions!"**

**Sadness washed across his face accompanied by guilt and an overwhelming desire to comfort her. "I'm sorry…" He said sheepishly staring down at his loafers. **

"**I said, stop saying that!" She exclaimed, stepping forward and grabbing him roughly by his collar. "What's with you today anyway!? You're acting all nice to Chihaya and now your apologizing to me!? What's wrong with you?"**

_**I'm in love… Gah! That sounds so cheesy! **_**He thought. **_**I can't tell her…not yet. The only way she could believe me is if I showed her. **_**A small smile curled across his lips, a ghost of the smirk that once resided there, as he stared into her honey colored eyes that glared back at him angrily. "It's a secret." **

**She raised an eyebrow and pushed him away from her. "You're so weird…" Then she turned and walked toward the door of the inn. **

"**Wait!" He called out then stumbled around for something he could say to make her stay. "Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?"**

**She froze and turned back around slowly. "Are you serious?" She asked incredulously.**

"**Yes!" He exclaimed hopefully.**

"**You **_**do**_** remember what happened the last time I came over for dinner, right?" **

"**Uh…"**

"**You dumped a bucket of water over my head."**

"**Oh…yeah…sorry."**

**She stared at him in disbelief. "So, no; I don't want to come over for dinner."**

"**Then lets go out to eat!" He cried. **

"**No, Gill. Lets not." She opened the door and was halfway through it then he yelled, "Please! I really would like to prove to you my sincerity…"**

**She raised an eyebrow and sighed. Something about the pitiful way he was staring at her with those beautiful blue eyes reminded her of a little boy begging to go out and play. "Fine." She said. "Be at my house by six." She walked through the door and yelled over her shoulder as it was closing, "Don't be late!"**

**The second she disappeared through the door a never before seen grin bloomed upon Gill's face. **

**---**

**Chihaya backed away from the window upon Akari's entrance. "So what did he say?" He asked. **

**She shrugged. "He said he was sorry."**

"_**Sorry**_**?"**

"**Yeah."**

"**Weird…"**

"**I know."**

"**Good thing he didn't try to kiss you again!" Chihaya said joyfully. "Or I would have been out there in a second and he wouldn't know what hit him!"**

"**Yeah, well he did invite me to dinner."**

"**What!?" Chihaya gasped, his hands flying to his hair. "And you agreed!?"**

"**Well, yeah…he said he wanted to prove he was sorry." She tipped her head to the side thoughtfully. "He was sure acting strange…and he wouldn't tell me why…"**

"**I've got a bad feeling about this…" Chihaya said sitting down on a stool. **

"**What? Why?" She asked sitting next to him. **

"**Akari…you really don't get it do you?" **

"**Huh?" Her eyebrows raised in confusion. **

"**That's okay." He smiled and tugged at a lock of his hair. "So when are you having dinner?"**

"**Six."**

"**Great, that gives us time to prepare."**

"**Prepare what?"**

"**You don't think I'm going to let you go with Gill unprepared do you!? What if he tries to pull something again!" He smiled down at her with his pretty eyes. **

**She laughed and punched him playfully on the arm. "You are the best Chihaya."**

**---**

**Gill couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. Nothing in the world could bring him down, nothing, that is, except for the scary look that was still in Akari's eyes. And it just so happened that every time he closed his eyes there she was glaring at him. But besides that, he was terrific! After all, he had a **_**date**_** with Akari tonight! **

**---**

**Luna burst into Akari's house an hour later and exclaimed, "So you get it now, right!?"**

"**Wait…what?" Akari asked, glancing up from the jeans she was patching up. **

**The short girl sighed heavily and plopped down next to the brunette at the table. "Gill is acting funny--"**

"**Yes, I did notice that…" She turned back to her stitching. **

"**And then Hamilton goes around telling everyone that Gill is in love with someone--"**

"**Uh-huh…that was weird…but then again, that's the mayor for you.."**

"**And all this just so happens to happen around you…"**

"**Bad luck I suppose…"**

**Luna sighed again and slapped the table to get Akari's attention. "No, not bad luck! Gill is in love with **_**you**_**!"**

**Akari froze mid-stitch and looked up. "That's impossible." She said confidently. "Gill cant love me." Then she scoffed, "Gill cant love!" as she continued stitching. **

"**No, no! Didn't you listen to Candace yesterday!?"**

"**Yeah…something about Gill getting manners…"**

"**Yeah! And it's all because of you! He is acting this way because he is in **_**love**_** with you!" Luna nearly screeched in her high pitch voice. **

**Akari actually laughed then. "Luna, that is about as possible as….no wait, there is nothing that is less possible then that!"**

"**Oh come **_**on**_**! It is so **_**obvious**_**!" She exclaimed dramatically. "I mean, he is **_**always**_** looking for you!" **

**Akari perked up at that last part. "That reminds me…" She suddenly lurched forward and grabbed the petite girl by the pigtails. "You need to **_**stop**_** telling him where I **_**am**_**! The whole point of my hiding is for him **_**not**_** to find me!"**

"**It's for your own good!" Luna wailed. "Now let go of me!"**

**---**

**Gill swallowed his nerves and knocked on the door. His fingers of his left hand were strangling a flower he had bought on his way over, and his right hand straightened his tie for the twelfth time. The door opened revealing a slightly annoyed Akari wearing exactly what she had worn all day. Which was soiled jeans and an old green shirt.**

"**Gee, Gill…" She mumbled taking in his white slacks with matching vest over a silk blue shirt with a purple tie. "You're looking… dapper." He smiled nervously with a slight blush on his cheeks. She didn't notice and asked, "What's the occasion?"**

**He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and offered her the flower. "What's that for?" She asked just staring at the bright pink petals. **

"**You." He said, prodding her to take it. **

**She just starred. "What should I do with it?"**

**He shrugged. "Whatever you like…"**

**She snatched it from him with shifty eyes and examined it more closely. He smiled at the look on her face as she noticeably softened. Then his smile vanished as she tossed the flower into some nearby bushes with a snort. **

"**I've never been too fond of flowers." She muttered, stepping past him. "So where are we eating, I'm starving!"**

**Gill was frozen in time gazing at the spot where his gift vanished among the leaves. **_**She has no idea…**_**He thought miserably. **_**How is this going to work?**_

"**What's wrong with you?" She asked, suddenly jolting him back to reality as she appeared by his shoulder. "If you're just going to stand here, then I am going to go find someone else to go to dinner with…"**

"**What!? N-No!" Gill exclaimed, stumbling over his words. "I'm fine, lets go!"**

"**Alright…" She said skeptically, falling into place next to him as they walked down the road in what possibly could be their first non-confrontational meeting…so far, that is. **

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Please let me know what you think of this new development! **

**Gill apparently isn't familiar with Pat Benatar! Haha! His personality is so different now too. Obviously his new found love is finally bringing out the best in him! Cute wittle Gilly! **

**I would like you all to know that as of last Saturday I am now at college and things so if my updates become…irregular, that is why. I will write whenever I have the chance but I do have school and a social life, or am trying to haha! So try to be patient with me, thanks! **

**Next chapter preview: Gill and Akari on a date! But she doesn't think it is…what would she do if she realized it was?**


	15. Duel

**Part 15 (Holy crud this is long!)**

**Oh…well I wasn't planning on having this finished for awhile…but hey! Inspiration hit! **

**Thanks for the idea from Crazy Cinnamon Goodness! You rock my socks!**

**Please review!**

This means WAR!

Duel

The walk across Waffle Town had been…interesting, to say the least. Akari refused to walk at a steady pace, always rushing ahead of Gill or dragging her feet. And he, of course, would run to keep up with her or stop in his tracks in order for them to walk side by side. She finally got fed up and spun on him.

"Stop it!" She barked.

Gill flinched at how suddenly she was right in his face. "Stop what? All I'm going is walking."

"Stop trying to walk next to me!" She said threateningly.

"But I'm taking you to dinner…."

"That doesn't mean you get to walk next to me!"

Gill glanced at her confusedly. "What…?"

She puckered her lips angrily. Really, it was just the mere proximity of him that was driving her crazy. She kept wanting to peak at him out of the corner of her eye and whenever she did she felt her stomach flutter. That was annoying her, that and the fact that never before had they gone so long without bickering…so something was odd.

She turned back and kept walking with a huff. "Let's just hurry!" She said. He skipped up along beside her, their hands brushing for just a moment where his eyes flickered and met hers. Then she looked away and tried to ignore the urge to grab his hand, just to see what he would do, of course. What happened next shocked and horrified her.

Gill slinked his fingers through hers, intertwining them, his face reddened slightly at he stared at the road. Her heart suddenly was beating a mile a minute as she tried desperately to convince herself that this wasn't happening. But it was, and now he was rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand gently, scaring her because she _liked_ it!

"Gill." She finally said starring at their hands. "Are you confused?"

His face burned burgundy in embarrassment. _She's not supposed to talk about it!_ He wailed in his head then said, "No…"

She clucked her tongue. "Well, apparently you are, because you are _holding_ my hand!"

He let go then and put his hands in his pockets. Then he continued walking without a word. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her hand still tingling from his touch, and asked, "Are you going to apologize?"

"No." He said simply, not looking at her.

"Oh, I just thought that was a new trend with you is all." She shrugged then slapped her hands together. "Hold on! So you held my hand on _purpose_!?"

Just then they arrived at the Kirch Restaurant and Gill sighed in relief. He wasn't ready to tell her. "We are here." He said, indicating the building with a nod. She spun around and checked it up and down.

"Really? We are eating here?" She asked.

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?" He said, suddenly worried that he had screwed up again.

"No…" She said turning back to him and smiling. "I just didn't take you seriously." He couldn't believe that she was _actually_ smiling at him. She wasn't smirking or laughing at his expense, she was _smiling_ at him, and nothing could be better. "What are you grinning at?" Her cynical voice brought him back.

"I'm just happy." He admitted. She raised her eyebrow inquiringly to that but didn't say anything. "Shall we?" He asked, opening the door for her.

"Lets!" She said smiling back as she stepped across the threshold.

---

Chihaya paced back and forth across his room. His eyes darted to the clock on the wall, it read six fifteen. Akari had only been gone for fifteen minutes and already he was having a panic attack.

_She will be okay!_ He tried to convince himself. _I made sure she had pepper spray AND a taser! There is no way Gill will try and pull something, and if he does she can stop him instantly! _It was perfect, his plan was foolproof!

---

"So what'll it be, Gill?" Kathy asked with a pop in her hips as she balanced a tray of drinks on her hand. "The usual?"

Gill cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "No…um…"

Kathy arched one eyebrow. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Gill bit his lower lip and turned around slightly, pointing Akari out at a nearby table. "We…are together…"

Kathy nodded distractedly as she placed a drink in front of another customer then her eyes got big. "Wait, you mean…like a _date_?" She glanced over at the brunette who was chewing on a straw absentmindedly.

Gill flushed but nodded with a grin on his face.

"Wow, Gill..." Kathy marveled. "How sweet! I knew you two had a thing!" She smiled into his face as she whipped out a pen and pad of paper. "So what do you want!?"

As Gill ordered their food, Akari was watching his back. _What's with him today…?_ She wondered. _It's as if someone flipped his happy switch. _He turned and smiled at her, making her shrink in her chair self-consciously. _He just keeps smiling… _

Kathy looked up from the pad she was scribbling on. "Okay, it will be just a minute! Go ahead and be with your _date_, Gill! I never thought you would actually ask her out! But never say never, eh?" She spun around and entered the kitchen as Gill went and sat down next to Akari.

"Stop smiling at me, it's making me lose my appetite." Akari said, swirling her straw in her glass of water. Gill's smile faltered momentarily then only got bigger.

"I can smile if I want to." He said, scooting closer to her as inconspicuously as he could.

She rolled her eyes. "I guess…then tell me why you are so happy."

He blushed but kept his face from giving it all away. "I told you, it's a secret."

"Don't think I'm an idiot!" She scoffed. "I _can_ put two and two together!"

Gill glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he took a sip of his water.

"You're in LOVE!" She exclaimed.

He choked on his water, spitting it out on the table. He promptly flushed with embarrassment and rapidly tried to mop it up with his cloth napkin.

"Here let me help." Akari said, leaning over him. He froze at how suddenly she was so close to him as she wiped the table expertly.

"You don't know how to do things like this, do you?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Things like what…?" He asked, focused on the way her hair fell across her face. _I know I'm not good at showing you how I feel…I've proved that…multiple times. _

"Things like cleaning, duh." She said, then sat up straight again and gave him a confused look. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Gill eyes flashed down to the table. He hadn't realized he had been staring at her. "What do you mean?" He asked stupidly. "I'm not looking at you any differently then I've ever looked at you."

_That's a lie. You're not glaring at me. _She thought, eyeing him curiously, then she remembered what they had been talking about before he decided to spew his water all over the table. "Hey! Back to what I was saying; you're in love and that's why you are happy!" She held up her hands. "Uh-uh, don't deny it! It's so _obvious_!"

Gill face turned beet red. "I'm--" Just then Kathy came out and placed their meals in front of them.

"Enjoy it!" She said with a friendly grin and a wink to Gill before spinning off to help another customer.

Gill stared down at his plate for a moment, forgetting what he was about to say.

"Don't get all flustered, Gill." Akari muttered, stabbing her spaghetti. "It happens to everybody sometime….though, I thought it was impossible for you to love anyone…. But I figured that there would be no other reason for you acting so…_different_ all of a sudden." She nodded then added, "That, and your father came gallivanting into the bar and announced it to Chihaya and I."

_So that's what father was doing all day…_Gill thought as he continued to stare at his plate.

"What? Aren't you going to say something…?" Akari asked hesitantly, trying to catch his eye.

"There is nothing to say." Gill almost whispered into his spaghetti.

"Um…yeah there is! Like, who is it!?" She practically yelled.

Gill finally met her gaze. His deep blue eyes seemed to plead with her, his eyebrows slightly knitted together, his blond hair fell into his eyes cutely as he fixed his lips into thin line. Her stomach twirled precariously.

"Your giving me a funny look again…" She mumbled glancing away.

He lowered his gaze back to his food hopelessly. "Let's talk about something else." He said.

"Like what?"

"Like…what do you like to do?"

This took her off guard again causing her brain to instantly go blank. "Uh…I don't know…what do you like to do?"

Gill stuck his fork in his spaghetti and twirled it as he said, "I like to read and learn new things."

She raised an eyebrow. "What sort of things…?"

"Anything." He said with a shrug.

"So if I were to teach you how to ballroom dance you would be interested?"

"I meant useful things."

"Dancing is useful."

"No it's not."

"Yeah it is! How do you expect to win the girl you love without taking her dancing?!" Akari exclaimed.

Gill froze. _Mental note: Take dancing lessons. _He glanced at her nonchalantly from over his fork. "Do _you_ like dancing…?"

"Pfft! No!" She slapped the table heartily. "I look like a duck when I dance!"

Gill relaxed. _Mental note: Scratch that last mental note. _

"What if I taught you farming!?" Akari offered suddenly, not really believing that he would want to.

A warm smile crept across his face as he gazed down at her excited expression. "I would like that very much." He said sweetly.

She caught the change in his voice and looked at him quizzically. "Really?"

"Yes. I would love it." His smile grew and soon she realized she was smiling back at him. This made Gill so happy that he dropped his fork. A tidal wave of tomato sauce landed on Akari shirt, making Gill cringe. _Oh no! I've just ruined everything! Now she is going to be all mad at me and yell at me again! _He thought miserably as he exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, Akari! I didn't mean it! It was an accident, honest!"

"Don't worry about it." She said simply, glancing down at the large stain.

"I promise I'll make it up to you! I'll buy you a new shirt! I'll--"

"I said, It's not a big deal so don't worry about it."

"But I--" He stopped. "Wait…you aren't mad?"

She raised and eyebrow. "No." She said, shaking her head. "I know it was an accident. It was an ugly shirt anyway."

"But look at it! I made it filthy! Are you sure you don't want to punch me!?" He exclaimed, amazed that she wasn't freaking out.

"Don't tempt me." She warned then started brushing the sauce off her shirt with a napkin.

"Here, it's my fault, let me…" He leaned over, his arm outstretched toward her chest.

"Hold it!" She cried snatching his arm. "There is no way in heck that I am letting you get the chance to grope me!" She got to her feet and walked towards the restroom while his face turned violet. But she spun back around and began shifting through her pockets. "I think this may take a while to clean up, so why don't you finish and meet me outside."

"Um…okay, if you're sure."

She pulled a twenty dollar bill from her pocket and was about to place it on the table when Gill stopped her.

"Hey wait! What are you doing!?" He exclaimed, startling her.

"Paying for my food…"

"No, I am paying." He declared.

"But you don't have to, Gill. It's no probable, I can pay for myself."

"No, let me pay." He insisted, gazing at her intently. "I want to."

She stared at him confusedly and figured this was him still wanting to prove his sincerity, so she nodded. "Okay….if you're sure…"

---

Akari examined herself in the mirror after she had blended the red stain into a brown blob. Her brown hair looked quite disheveled, her muddy brown eyes blinked back at her vacantly as her lips curled slowly into a smile. Why she was smiling, she didn't know. All she knew was that this new Gill might not be half bad.

Just then Kathy burst into the restroom and exclaimed, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize someone was in here!"

"It's fine. I'm finished." Akari said, throwing the paper towels she had been using into the waste basket. She started for the door but was stopped when Kathy grabbed her by the arm.

"Akari!" She said happily. "I think it's so wonderful that you and Gill have finally gone on a date!"

The brunette froze. "Um…excuse me?"

"I always thought you and Gill would make a cute couple, now you are!" The blond grinned happily into her face.

"There must be some mistake…" Akari began even as it slowly began to dawn on her.

"What's a mistake?"

"We are not on a date!" Akari exploded. _Now it all makes so much sense! The reason why he brought a flower, when he tried to hold my hand, all the staring and him paying for the meal…but that couldn't mean that…_

"Really…you aren't?" Kathy asked plainly disappointed. "That's a shame…he seemed so excited about it too…" Akari stared at her in shock as the waitress added, "You guys look so cute together too…" And with that Kathy walked out, leaving Akari alone once again. But now everything was different.

_He couldn't possibly…I mean, it's ridiculous to think that he might actually….oh no…I think I might… _She ran out of the restroom and through the restaurant to outside where she could get some fresh air. Putting her hands on her knees, she bent in half taking deep breaths.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. "Gyah! Oh…Gill…" She mumbled, staring openly at the blond boy.

"What's wrong, Akari?" He asked with genuine concern on his face. "Are you okay?"

She was lost in his ocean blue eyes that were completely focused on her. "I really hope so…" She said under her breath.

He gave a half smile then pointed down the road. "I can take you home now, if you want."

"Yes." She said without realizing. He smiled, taking his place at her side as they walked through the night. Her palms were sweaty, and if it was hard for her to not look at him before, it was impossible now. She stared at him out of the corner of her eye and every so often she could have sworn he was doing the exact same thing. They walked in silence except for their footfalls until they reached her door.

"Uh…Akari…" He said finally, shuffling his feet.

"What?" She asked, distracted by how close he was to her all of a sudden.

"Did you have a good time?"

She was captivated by his blue eyes. "Yes…" She whispered. And she was shocked to realize that she indeed had had a good time.

He smiled warmly. "I'm glad." He couldn't help but take a tiny step closer to her. "I had a wonderful time."

"Good…" She said as he came even closer and she found herself leaning towards him.

"Very good…" He muttered as his hand came up and cupped her face softly. She blinked up at him, vaguely remembering the taser in her back pocket that Chihaya told her to use if Gill got too close, as his other hand ran up her arm causing chills. He gazed down at her with the slightest smile, waiting just the right amount of time for her to ask where her kiss was.

"Gill…?" She whispered breathlessly. And that was all he needed.

His lips came down slowly, pressing softly against her warm lips. He suddenly pulled away, worried that she wasn't liking it, but was stopped as she said, "Hold it!" and her hands reached up and pulled his face back to hers.

A smile broke out on his face as she stood on the tip of her toes and kissed him sweetly. Making him happier then he could have imagined. He kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her, never wanting to let go. Her heart was beating faster then ever as her arms wound around his neck. He broke the kiss then and placed little kissed along her jaw line ending just below her ear.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Why?" She breathed, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I love you."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**There you have it! Please, please tell me what you thought!**

**There is the first REAL kiss, if you may. Gill is being such a cutie its almost sick! Haha! Let me know how you feel!**

**And this isn't the end! Not yet, anyway. We probably have at least one more chapter to go.**

**Review please! **


	16. Peace Treaty

Part 16 (Finale!)

Thanks for all the reviews! I'm sorry it took so long to put this up, but well….life happens. I think I also have a problem with endings… I wont watch the season finale of my favorite show if it's not coming back on the next year. I still haven't read the last Harry Potter book even though I have read all the other ones… And I didn't finish the last Twilight book…but that's for a completely different reason. I decided I didn't like Twilight. Haha. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and have enjoyed the entire story. 

**This means WAR!**

**Peace Treaty**

**Akari sat at the bar drinking a lemonade talking with Chihaya. He actually was the one talking, technically, while the brunette absentmindedly twirled a strand of hair with a silly grin on her face. **

"**Akari were you listening to me?" The tall waiter asked with his hands on his hips.**

"**Hmmm…?" She mused, blinking back to reality. "Listening? Of course I was listening."**

**Chihaya raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Really? What did I say?"**

**She puckered her lips and stared at the ceiling as if the answer was somewhere above his head. "Er…you said that…"**

"**That…" Chihaya echoed, his eyebrow rising even higher. "That…what?"**

"**That you…had a…brownie…?" She then glanced at him inquiringly hoping she guessed right. **

"**A brownie?" He said in disbelief. "That's the best you can com up with?"**

**Her eyes flickered back to the ceiling. "No….What I meant was you had a…taco…?"**

**Chihaya sighed. "No, Akari. I said, do you want to go hang out later?"**

**She shrugged. " Oh. Well, I think I might have plans…" Her voice drifted off as the bell above the door rang, announcing Gill as he walked in wearing a suspicious face. Akari watched him out of the corner of her eye, the silly grin spreading across her lips. "Look at that idiot." She said as the blond boy walked past them and down a hallway with a sideways look at Akari. **

"**Yeah." Chihaya chimed in, eager for a Gill bashing party. "Who wears sweater vests!?" **

"**Come on, Chihaya." Akari said rolling her eyes at him. "You can do better then that." **

**He grinned, accepting the challenge. "Alright. How about, the reason his pants are too short is because he stole them from a midget!"**

**She laughed. "No, he stole them from his father."**

"**Come on, Akari, you know that is impossible. If he had stolen them from his father then they would be…you know, larger around the middle…"**

"**Oh that's low…" Akari said with a grin. "You can do better."**

**He thought for a moment. "His mood is so sour because he drinks spoiled milk!"**

"**No, he only drinks tomato juice, you know that." She cocked her head to the side then slid off her seat. "Is that all you've got?" **

**He bit his lip desperately thinking up another insult as she slowly walked backwards toward the hall. "Hold on!" He exclaimed. **

"**Tick, tock, tick, tock!" She sang, slinking further down the hallway. **

"**Gah!" He yelled, nearly pulling out his hair in frustration. "I can think of one! Just give me a minute!"**

"**Time's up!" She announced, disappearing from view. He slammed the counter in defeat but smiled as he rested his head on his hand. **

"**Yeah,…I know…my time is up…" He whispered under his breath. **

**---**

**Akari walked down the hallway in the direction Gill had headed. She walked slowly, careful to not let any floorboards creak, and controlled her breathing so that it was nearly inaudible. But that didn't stop him from knowing she was there. **

**She gasped as she was suddenly grabbed around the middle and pulled into a closet. She caught sight of two arms before the door was slammed behind her and everything went pitch black. She was coughing on dust bunnies and fumbling for a light switch and then was smothered in a bone crushing hug shortly followed by little kisses all over her face. **

**She felt the body holding her, squeeze her even tighter, if that was possible. Then hands held her face as he tipped it right and left so he could kiss every inch of it. She started laughing when he kissed the tip of her nose so he kissed it again, which only made her laugh harder. As his lips explored her face she stayed very still with her eyes closed, a thrilling feeling in her chest.**

**Finally his lips found the corner of her mouth. They lingered there a little as he felt them curl into a smile before he roamed back over her face. Her hands went up then and grabbed his arms, pulling them away from her face and then behind her back in an embrace. His kisses became slower and lingered longer where they landed until he hit her lips again, and this time he stayed there. She kissed him back and felt his lips form a smile in return before he quickly went back to kissing her face.**

"**Hey, hey, stop it." She whispered with false annoyance in her voice. "You're mauling me."**

**She felt his chest shake in a low chuckle. "I'm sorry, I cant help it." Gill said silkily, his words broken up as he kissed her eyelids. "You taste so good."**

"**Really?" She asked him skeptically. "I bet I just taste like human…maybe a little like dirt."**

"**No." He breathed, kissing her chin. "You taste like tomatoes."**

**She scoffed. "That's ridiculous! How could I taste like tomatoes!?"**

**He grinned against her cheek. "I don't know, all I know is that you taste better then the best thing in the world, which is tomatoes."**

"**So I taste **_**better**_** then tomatoes…?" She inquired.**

"**Uh-huh…"He mused as he kissed her lips, this time she didn't kiss back.**

"**That's a horrible comparison." She complained against his mouth. **

**He laughed at that and pulled her closer to him, resting his head on top of hers. "You are my cute little tomato." **

**She made a gagging noise. "**_**Please**_** tell me you did not just say that! That is the most pathetic cheesy nickname I have ever heard!"**

**She felt his hands cup her face as he pulled her toward him. "What do you want me to call you?" He whispered, his lips fluttering against hers. **

**Butterflies exploded in her stomach. **_**How does he do this to me? **_**She marveled as she felt his breath against her cheek. "Well, I don't know…Most guys call their girlfriends 'Honey' or 'Sugar' or 'Cupcake'…but of **_**course**_** those are all too sweet for me!"**

**She could feel his eyes on her even though she couldn't see him. "What do you **_**want**_** me to call you?" He asked again, kissing her softly on the forehead. **

"**What do **_**you**_** want to call me?" She asked, her heart beating fast.**

**He paused for a moment, playing with a lock of her hair. "I've got a good one…" He whispered mischievously. **

"**What is it?" **

**She could hear him smiling. "It's a secret."**

**She slugged him hard in the shoulder just as the door to the closet was opened revealing a smirking Chihaya. **

"**You didn't fool me." He said matter-of-factly. "Not this time…not last time…" He shook his head. "Must you always make out in **_**this**_** closet?"**

**Akari looked up and saw Gill smiling at her partner in crime before he wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her into his side. "I apologize." He said to the waiter. "I simply cant help myself."**

**Chihaya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah…but Akari! I would have expected more from you! Sneaking into a closet is so unlike you!" He teased. "Look, get out of here before someone else finds you when they are looking for a broom or something."**

**---**

**It had been a month since Gill told Akari that he loved her, and a few days later she realized she loved him too. It was strange and completely illogical for her to be in love with the one person she had devoted so much time into torturing. But at the same time it made so much sense. **

**Telling Chihaya had been the hardest part. Of course him being her best friend, he promised to be supportive even if she was in love with the ogre. But it took him a while to actually trust Gill to be near her all the time. Now everything seemed to run smoothly, Akari would spend time hanging out with Chihaya after she finished her chores and then Gill would stop by the bar to pick her up and take her on a date. **

**When the new couple first started walking around town together they got a couple of strange reactions. Luke ran up to Akari and grabbed her arm, telling her to run for her life because Gill was right behind her. She laughed and explained that they were now going out and the young carpenter had stumbled away wide-eyed. Luna and Candace on the other hand were thrilled and boasted that they knew it all along. All the boasting was done by Luna of course. **

**It was also really awkward telling Hamilton… **

**The mayor was so joyful that he wrapped Akari into a death grip of a hug and welcomed her into the family. Once he released her he turned to Gill and asked when the wedding date was, which promptly caused the blond to blush and hold up his hands explaining that they were just dating. **

**And Akari and Gill? They were happy of course. Gill had changed so much from the first time they met that he now seemed like a completely different person. He was kind and loving toward his new girlfriend, that he completely adored. He simply couldn't get enough of seeing her smile and would do anything to make her laugh, and she loved that about him. He also took her up on her offer of teaching him to farm. Now the two of them worked side by side in Akari's field planting various vegetables with the majority of them being tomatoes. He was constantly slacking off at first, stopping and starring at her with a silly grin. But she would quickly set him back to work when she threatened to hit him with her sickle, though she secretly loved catching him gaze at her and would blush fiercely. **

**---**

**After one such occasion where the two of them were working in the fields, Gill looked up and saw the sun was setting. **

"**How about we call it a day." He said slinging the hoe over his shoulder casually. "It's getting late."**

**Akari glanced up at the sun then turned to him with a smirk. "What's wrong? You tired?"**

**He scoffed. "No. I thought you might be."**

"**Well I'm not! I could work all day and all night!" She poked him in the chest playfully. "So don't you worry about me."**

"**But I do worry." He said with all seriousness.**

"**You do?" The smirk slid from her face and a small blush appeared there. **

"**Of course I do. I love you, Akari, that means I care about you a lot, which in turn means I worry."**

**She still got chills every time he said that. "I can take care of myself." She said matter-of-factly, turning away from him only to be spun around and caught in a hug. She froze, amazed that he could still turn her stomach into knots, as he rested his head on top of hers.**

"**I know you can." He breathed against her forehead. "But I want to take care of you." She smiled into his collar as he spoke again. "Will you let me?"**

"**Well, I suppose. Within reason, of course." She said with laughter in her voice. **

"**Yes, of course." He said with a chuckle, tightening his hug slightly. **

**There was a few seconds of silence as they just hugged each other when finally Akari said, "I love you, Gill."**

**He smiled, then looked down into her soft brown eyes and said, "I love you too."**

**The End**

**---**

**So its over. I hope the ending was satisfactory to all of you. I know it was for me, lol!**

**I had problems writing this. I couldn't decide whether to start where I left off in the last chapter or to do this little glimpse into the future thing. I finally chose this little glimpse thing because whenever I tried to write Akari telling Chihaya it ended up being so incredibly sad and I don't want to remember Chihaya as some pitiful guy, but a guy who is an amazing friend. I also decided Chihaya needs more lovin, and so I will write a story just for him. So stay tuned, haha!**

**Please tell me what you think about the ending, loved it…hated it. I want to know your opinions. **

**To all the readers: Thanks for reading, and thanks all the fantastic reviews I have gotten over the length of this story! You guys are the best and have given me so much more confidence in my writing. Although I know I have tons I can improve upon. Thanks again for everything and just being fantastic people!**

**P.S. If you liked this story and want to read more Harvest Moon stories by me, I currently have one other called Truth or Dare with Akari and the gang in it. **


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